A Journey to Remember
by treeckodude1994
Summary: This story will go through the adventures of a trainer with dreams of becoming a Pokémon Champion, while torn between his love for Pokémon and parental approval. A story of a girl on a mission, while becoming a top contender in Pokemon contests. It is a story showcasing the romantic relationship between a research assistant from a rich family and a tomboy who loves adventures.
1. Prologue: The beginning to the secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

~ Fifteen years ago, Saffron City Main Train Station ~

Night fell on the largest city in the Kanto Region - Saffron City. Even at night, the city was as lively as in the day and the train station was no exception. The station platforms were still crowded with people and Pokémon waiting or lining up to board the trains to get to their destinations. A limousine pulls up in front of the train station.

"Miss Danielle, we have arrived," said the driver.

Danielle arrived from her vacation home in the Cerulean Cape. Now, she was returning home to her mansion in Ercuteak City on the Platinum Express, a luxurious first class express train that ran from Saffron City to Goldenrod City in the Johto Region. Danielle walked into the bustling train station in her elegant light green short dress.

~ One week ago ~

It was a rainy night. Danielle just arrived at the Saffron Station. It was a cold night; she was wearing a red winter cape jacket to stay warm. She felt warm on the outside and in the inside of her heart. She was eagered and excited about seeing her fiancee. A limousine pulled up in front of the Saffron train station. Lance, her driver and the butler of her vacation home in Cerulean Cape, drove her to her fiancee's mansion in Cerulean City.

"Miss Danielle, we have arrived," said Lance.

Danielle replied, "Thank you, Lance."

She stepped off the limousine and could not wait to see him.

She rang the doorbell. A maid of the residence greeted her.

"Miss Danielle, welcome. Please come in," said the maid softly with a french accent.

"Thank you, is master home," asked Danielle.

"Yes, he is. Shall I go get him?"

"No, tell me where he's located. I want to surprise him."

"He is in his study, my lady."

Danielle went to her fiancee's study. Her fiancee was Ethan. He was thirty one years old and the chief executive officer of an insurance company. During this rainy night, he was in his study relaxing after a busy day of work and was stressed out.

Danielle walked to the study. Her high heels click-clacked as she walked up the stairs and down the corridor. She approached the door to the study and opened it slowly. Ethan was sitting on his arm chair next to his desk and texting. All of a sudden, he dropped his phone on his desk when Danielle entered.

"Hi babe," said Danielle flirtatiously.

Ethan was shocked, but said, "b… babe, what are you doing here?"

"I came to visit you. Aren't you happy?" said Danielle as she was walking towards and behind Ethan. She slowly placed her hands on his shoulders to give him a massage. "You're so stiff."

"Babe, I didn't knew you were coming. You should have told me."

Danielle kissed her fiancee on the cheek. Her lipstick left a mark on his cheek.

She leaned down to his ear and said, "I wanted to surprise you, babe."

The two looked into each other's eyes. Danielle sat on his lap and the two kissed.

The next morning, Danielle woke up in Ethan's bed, but Ethan was not there. She went to look for him with only a blanket wrapped around her body. She found him talking on his phone in his study. There was a slim crack through the door and Danielle peaked inside.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know she was coming," said Ethan. "I'm sorry. Let's meet tomorrow."

 _Who is he meeting_ , wondered Danielle.

"Ok, ok, I'll meet you at the usual place," said Ethan with a worried expression. "See ya tomorrow night."

Ethan finished his phone call. Danielle surreptitiously walked away. She went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. As she was rummaging through her make up, she found some things that seem unfamiliar to her. She picked up an eyeliner.

Danielle looked at the eyeliner and grew weary herself.

Then, she saw in the corner of her eye a medicine bottle in the opened cabinet. She picked it up and saw Jennifer labeled on the bottle. Her womanly instincts were telling her that Ethan might be cheating.

She threw the medicine into the trash can with some force. She placed her hands on her head and began to panic as she form negative thoughts in her mind. She got dressed up and went down to the dining room. Ethan was there sipping his coffee.

"Morning babe," said Ethan.

"Good morning," said Danielle. "What do you have planned for the day?"

"Umm, nothing much. I'm just going to work after breakfast,"

Danielle ate and watched her fiancee while he was eating. She grew more and more suspicious. There was a period of silence when they were eating.

"Well, I'm finished eating. I'm going to head out now. Bye babe." said Ethan. He kissed her before leaving.

Ethan left the house and got into a limousine. Danielle followed him out the door. She sent out her Noctowl.

"Noctowl, follow Ethan and let me know his whereabouts," said Danielle.

After work, Ethan went to a townhouse. He picked up a girl. Watching him from nearby was Danielle. When she saw the girl wrapping her arm around Ethan's arm, she was crushed; her heart dropped. Her eyes were wide open in shock and a tear drop rolled down her cheek.

"Why… Why must this happen?" Danielle said quietly and sadly.

Ethan and the girl walked away. Danielle was dressed in a red motorcycle outfit and rode off in her motorcycle back to the mansion.

Back at the mansion, Danielle sat at the dining room table and changed into a short white dress with her hair down. The table was set up with plates, utensils, and a candlestick with white candles. She asked the maids to set up the table with a feast and waited for Ethan to return.

However, she waited for exactly two nights and three days. She drank dark coffee to stay awake. On the third night, Ethan returned drunk with Jennifer in his arms.

"Sir, madam have been waiting for you in the dining room for three days. We all tried talking to her, but she refused to answer. I'm worried for her.," said a maid.

"What?" said a drunkened Ethan.

Ethan and Jennifer walked into the dining room and saw Danielle sitting down at the table. Danielle's eyes were wide open and red; wrinkles formed due to the lack of sleep. Her hair was frizzled

"Look at this wench," said Ethan.

"Who is this trash?" asked Jennifer while laughing.

Danielle looked up at Ethan shockingly.

"Look at her, Jenni," smirked Ethan. "This person is a fool. She is waiting for me to return to her."

The two laughed.

Danielle smashed a plate on the ground and picked up a cracked piece. She ran towards Ethan, but Ethan pushed her to the ground. Ethan and Jennifer continued to laugh at her.

"Fool! You look like a prostitute," said Ethan.

Ethan kissed Jennifer in front of Danielle.

He said flirtatiously, "Baby, I want to bathe now and want you to join me. I want to look at you while I'm in the bath."

When the two were about to walk away, Ethan turned around and said to Danielle, "You pick this up."

He stared at her and then raised his voice. He yelled as if he had dominance over her, "Did you hear me?!"

The two walked away. Danielle was still on the ground and began to cry out loud. In an act of sorrow, Danielle was heart struck and cried loudly. Her cry echoed through the hall way of the mansion. She ran out the mansion in her white dress. She called out to Lance while she was running. Lance was standing right next to her in the dining room and followed her out of the mansion.

"Lance, to the car!" said Danielle.

Lance and Danielle got into the limousine. Danielle told Lance to drive her to her vacation resort in the Cerulean Cape. When they arrived, she went to a cliff ledge and looked out to the sea. The wind blows through her hair. She fell on her knees in distraught and began crying again. Streams of tears rolled across her cheek.

She passionately said, "Why must this happen to me? Everything was perfect. I was going to have my dream wedding. I was going to get my dream man. Why did it change? That is not fair. Life is not fair."

Later in the night, Danielle sat at the bar counter in her resort and drank multiple glasses of Hennessy. Glass after glass, all she thought of was Ethan. She thought of the time they met at a party and fell in love on the dance floor. She thought of the many times they dated. She though about Ethan's proposal to her and how romantic it was. She also thought about the recent scene of events that happenned from the clues in the bathroom to the harsh words that came from his mouth. The next morning, Danielle packed up her things and decide to head back to Johto.

At the Saffron Train station, Danielle looked at a map of the station and saw that Platform 8, the boarding platform for the Platinum Express, was at the back. She looked at her ticket and read the express train would leave at ten-o-clock. It was nine, so she briskly walked to the platform. When she arrived, she saw people boarding and followed suit.

Danielle showed her ticket to the conductor and entered. The train was filled with people of high society- gentlemen, ladies, and socialites. She walked through the aisles towards the sleeping cars. When she found her car, she stowed her luggage away. At exactly ten-o-clock, the train left the Saffron City Station.

Once the train reached a comfortable speed, Danielle visited the dining car with a bar. She sat at the bar counter and ordered a glass of wine.

Meanwhile, in a lounge car, a group of young men and women were having fun partying, popping champagne bottles, and blasting really loud music. One of the young men was Blue, a former Pokémon Champion and an interim Gym Leader. He was traveling to the Johto Region to take part in an exhibition match for a tournament. The other men and women were his high-society friends who loved partying. Even champions needed a drink and fun once in a while.

Danielle also requested some tequila shots and Hennessy to relieve some stress. As she drank more shots, Danielle became more and more drunk. She tried to stand, but her body was shaking. She decided to go back to her bedroom; however, she was unaware of her surroundings and walked into someone else's room. She removed her clothes and got on the bed.

After hours of fun and entertainment, Blue and his friends ended the party and dispersed. Blue was the most drunk, so one of Blue's friends carried him back to his sleeping car. As they got close to the room, Blue told his friend to leave and he entered the room. At first, he did not recognize someone was on his bed. He removed his shirt and pants exposing his bare naked body. He got onto his bed and smelled a scented perfume. The smell of Danielle's perfume wafted throughout the atmosphere surrounding the bed. Blue leaned over on top of Danielle and kissed her. As he kissed an unconscious Danielle, her perfume captivated him and drew him closer. Danielle felt someone kissing her and all she could thought about in her drunken state was Ethan. As the night continued, the sound of the train was all that was left of the noise.

The next morning, Danielle woke up and noticed she was not in her room. She sat up on the bed and noticed a shirtless man lying next to her. She quickly recognized the man as Blue, a former champion. She was so shocked and started to cry from the sudden realization. She tried to recollect what had happened the night before. When she did, she felt embarrassed and guilty for allowing this to happen. She got dressed in her clothes and left the bedroom quickly while a shirtless Blue continued to sleep.


	2. Chapter 1: When trainers' eyes meet

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

~ Hoenn Region ~

The Hoenn Region - a breathtaking land filled with Pokémon soaring through the sky, swimming in the water, thriving through the land, and sharing the land with many different people living together.

A fifteen year old teenage boy wearing a black leather jacket and blue jeans named Dillon stepped off the ship docked at Slateport Harbor and was about to embark on a journey filled with secrets that are about to be unfold. Dillon was from the Johto Region, along with his partner, Tyrogue. His goal was to become a Pokémon Champion.

"Look, Tyrogue," said Dillon. "This is where our journey begins."

After leaving the harbor, Dillon went to the Slateport City Pokémon Center to register for the Hoenn League. Along the way, there were many shops and restaurants. All a sudden, Dillon heard a ruckus that came from behind. A group of people wearing red uniforms with a M on their hoodie ran towards his direction in a rush, forcing the pedestrians aside.

The group shouted, "Move out the way!"

One of the group members shoved a teenage girl named Janelle, causing her to lose her balance. However, Dillon quickly grabbed her by the waist and prevented her from falling. In that split second, Janelle looked up and instantly fell in love with Dillon's face. When Dillon left, she was mesmerized as her newfound crush walked away.

At the Pokémon Center, Dillon registered for the Hoenn League and asked Nurse Joy to treat Tyrogue. After Dillon received Tyrogue back from Nurse Joy, another trainer walked into the Pokémon Center and saw Dillon's Tyrogue.

"You there!" said the trainer. "The name is Randy, and I am interested in battling your Tyrogue. Why don't we head down to the Pokémon Battle Club Facility and have a battle?"

"Battle Club Facility?" asked a perplexed Dillon.

Nurse Joy answered, "Dillon, the Battle Club Facility is where trainers can have battles with other trainers, rest, and train their Pokémon with the different types of training equipment. You should check it out."

Randy smirked and said, "Don't be so confident kid."

"That sounds cool. I will!" said Dillon.

Dillon and Randy went to the Battle Club Facility. At the Club, the two were greeted by Don George, the head of the facility.

Don George said, "Hi, My name is Don George and I am in charge of this Battle Club Facility. You can use these bulletin boards to check out different trainers and the Pokémon they want to battle against."

"There is no need," said Randy. "Because we are going to have a battle. Please show us the battle field."

"Well, let me show you the way and I can be your judge," said Don George.

Don George takes the two trainers to the battlefield. Dillon and Randy got to the two opposite ends of the battlefield.

"This will be a one-on-one battle," said Randy. "I'm not holding anything back." He threw out a Pokéball and a Elekid appeared, showing off its feisty nature.

Dillon responds, "Then I'll be using my partner. Tyrogue, I choose you."

Dillon's Tyrogue ran onto the field, also pumped for battle.

Don George shouted, "Let the battle begin!"

"Tyrogue, let's do this! Use Tackle!" Dillon commanded.

"Stay put," said Randy.

Tyrogue ran towards Elekid and knocked him down. However, Elekid got right back up and Tyrogue became paralyzed from Elekid's Static Ability.

Randy commanded, "Use Thunderbolt!"

Elekid released a jolt of electricity and shocked Tyrogue.

 _Randy's Elekid sure is fast_ , Dillon pondered, _and now Tyrogue is paralyzed, but we have one more play_.

"Tyrogue, I believe in you. Run around Elekid," said Dillon.

Dillon's command made Randy and his Elekid confused. Tyrogue had good endurance and was able to run many circles around Elekid despite being paralyzed. Tyrogue was determined and put everything he had for his trainer.

"Now, use Low Sweep," said Dillon.

Tyrogue ran towards Elekid and extended his leg, sweeping Elekid off his feet. The move caught Randy and Elekid off guard. Due to Tyrogue's Ability, Guts, his attack stat got boosted during status conditions.

"Quickly before it can recover! Tyrogue, use fake out!" Dillon said.

Tyrogue slammed his fist into Elekid causing Elekid to flinch.

Dillon commanded, "Use Tackle, full power!"

Tyrogue charged forward and knocked out Elekid, giving Dillon the win. Randy returned Elekid to his Pokéball and walked towards his opponent.

Randy said, "Your strategy caught me off guard. I hardly had time to make a move. Thank you for battling with me and I hope we can meet again so I can beat you next time."

Dillon and Randy shook hands and became rivals.

~ A month before ~

An airplane soared through the sky. On the Latios Airline flight H31, a young girl wearing a trench coat and tall boots named Annie looked out the window. "Look Fennekin! I think that is it! It's…" She was interrupted by the intercom. A voice over intercom speaks. "Greetings! I hope you are enjoying the flight. Please return to your seats and put on your seat belts because we are about to land in Lilycove City in the Hoenn Region."


	3. Chapter 2: I'm a Coordinator?

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

Annie was a fifteen years old girl from the Kalos Region. She was on an airplane flight to the Hoenn Region with a goal: to find her father Lucas. Her father has left home fifteen years ago and never returned. Annie was traveling with her Fennekin, a Fire type. She also had three of her father's items in her possession: a letter, picture, and painting. The picture showed the two when she was four years old. The letter was addressed from a Pokémon Center in Slateport City. The picture was a landscape painting her father painted for her mother when they were dating. After the young girl arrived at Lilycove City by plane, she learned she could take the _S.S. Tidal_ , a ferry, to Slateport City.

After a day at sea, Annie went to the local Pokémon Center. She approached Nurse Joy and asked, "Hi Nurse Joy, my name is Annie, and I am from the Kalos Region."

Nurse Joy responded warmly, "Please to meet you, Annie. How I might I be of service to you?"

"I was wondering if you know this person." She showed a picture to Nurse Joy.

Joy's eyes widened a bit in shock, then she paused for a moment. "No I haven't. Is he related to you?"

"Yes, he is my father. My father came to the Hoenn Region eleven years ago and never returned."

"I am sorry to hear that."

Annie bended her head down and sighed in disappointment. There was a silent pause.

Nurse Joy asked, "Is this your first time in the Hoenn Region?"

Annie looked up and responded, "Yes."

"Well, might I interest you to the Pokémon Coordinator Contest?"

"What is that?"

Nurse Joy explained, "It is a competition where young Coordinators show how skilled their Pokémon can be. A Pokémon Contest is divided into two stages: the performance stage and the battle stage. In the performance stage, Coordinators have their Pokémon use their moves in order to showcase their style and skill. The appeals are scored by the judges, and the ones with the highest scores will move onto the next round. In the next round, the battle stage, Coordinators compete in Pokémon battles while continuing to show off their Pokémon's skills and styles. The winner wins a ribbon and a Coordinator with five ribbons gets to enter in the regional Grand Festival. The winner of the Grand Festival gets to become Top Coordinator. It is a really fun event."

Annie eagerly listened and asked where she could buy tickets.

Nurse Joy said she can get tickets at the Slateport City Contest Hall and handed her a guidebook of Slateport City.

Annie thanked Nurse Joy and ask for a room to stay in for the night. Nurse Joy showed Annie to a bedroom.

When Annie went in and closed the door, Nurse Joy thought, " _Should I tell her?"_ But she walked back to the front desk.

Later that night in her room, the room was dark. A desk lamp on the table provided ample light. Annie wrote in her diary.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Dad, I really miss you. How do I find you? It has only been two days and I came with nothing. I never thought it would be this hard. I just want to reunite our family and want to return to the days like in the past. Where are you?_

Annie reminisced about her past with her father, put her head down, and cried as she looked at the picture. She also read the poem written on the landscape painting.

" _Tis the autumn season._

 _Standing beside a misty lake._

 _Luvdiscs leaps and splashes._

 _As rainfall drops, as Luvdisc appears._

 _Our love deepens_

 _And never disappears_."

The next day, Annie made her way to the Slateport City Contest Hall. When she arrived, a crowd gathered with excitement at the entrance.

Some girls screamed, "Oh my god, It's Lisia, the Contest star!"

Annie moved towards to the crowd to take a look. In the middle, a bunch of reporters are interviewing a female contest star named Lisia.

She spoke into a microphone, "Hiiiii ev-er-y-bod-y! Lisia here! Me and my Altaria, Ali, have come to the Slateport Contest Hall for a bit of FUN!"

She waved to the crowd, and they roared loudly.

"Well then, watch me as I dive in again today! Dazzling, dizzying, doldrums defying! Dazzling! Dizzing! Lisia's ... Miraculous… Contest Scouting! All righty! I'm going to bring another fantastic Trainer into the wild world of contesting! Eenie… meenie… miney… You there!"

Lisia spotted Annie's confused look. "You, looking me with that confused expression on your face! Hi! Have you never done a Contest?"

Annie answered, "No."

Lisia said, "That's just what I want to hear! Then let's get started! This is the Trainer I'm going to scout today! And her name is…"

"Annie."

"Annie! When I took a good look at you, I could easily see that you have potential despite your baffled expression. Annie! You can enjoy Contests at the Pokémon Contest Hall right here. We do have a Contest coming up today! Now listen up, I want to see you bringing out a whole new brilliant side of them to show off! So here you go! Take these! This is a Contest Pass, which is the first thing that anyone needs to take part in a contest! And this is a Pokéblock kit, which will let you make Pokéblocks for your Pokémon out of Berries. Annie's story begins today! Yep! And this chapter should be titled… 'A Sudden Encounter! Miraculous Contest Scouting!' That's what I'd call it! Now, everybody out there watching… You better expect great things from Annie, because I do! That's it for today's Lisia's Miraculous Contest Scouting! See you all next time!"

Also watching the event was Janelle. She was a Pokémon Coordinator as well and a huge fan of Lisia. She was hoping to get picked by Lisia. However, when Annie got picked, she instantly became jealous of the newcomer and felt she wasn't worth getting picked because she knows nothing about Pokémon contest. She also took a picture of Annie and placed it in her notebook.

" _Why must she get picked, I already have two ribbons and she doesn't even know about Pokémon Contests. Hmph, life is so unfair_. _I'll show this girl and Lisia_." - Janelle.

Annie and Lisia entered the contest hall together. The crowd outside disperse.

Lisia turned to Annie and said, "If you're up for it, try your hand in a Contest for me, OK? Please come with me." Lisia took Annie to a backstage dressing room. She said, "Annie, thanks for playing along back there! I guess that was quite a shock, huh? But don't mind that! Contests are really fun and fantastic, you know! I'm sure you'll get hooked on them! You should keep that Contest Pass and Pokéblock kit."

Annie said, "Thank you. The truth is that I've never seen a Pokémon Contest before. I just recently arrived in the Hoenn Region."

Lisia sad, "Is that so, then you're a first timer! Goodie! Then, why don't you watch today's Contest and see what you think!"

Annie replied, "Ok, I will!"

Lisia recalled, "One more thing. Annie, you are the 100th trainer I scouted and THAT's a very big deal!" She walked over to her wardrobe and picked out a gorgeous contest dress. "Every Coordinator needs a fabulous costume. Why don't you try this?"

Annie marveled at the beautiful pink dress and went to the changing room to put it on. When she came out of the dressing booth, Lisia became giddy and said, "S-s-s-so… So COOOOOOL! Oh, wow! It's PERFECT for you! Eeeee! I just can't wait! Why don't you keep that dress and wear it on a live contest stage!"

Annie was in shock and said, "Really? You're giving this to me?"

Lisia smiled and said, "Yeah sure, why not hehe!"

After the shocking meet up with Lisia, Annie watched the Contest. She watched the show with amazement and delight. She saw the talents of the many Pokémon and their trainers. Janelle appeared on stage with her Espeon as contestant number 19. Janelle used a combination of Swift and Psychic to show off Espeon to the judges. The psychic attack arranged the stars fromt the swift attack into rings. Espeon leaped through the rings skillfully. Every performance was done so skillfully and gracefully. At the half-time intermission, Lisia and Ali appeared onstage. The audience roared and became more excited as Ali gave a wonderful performance. Janelle made it to battle round; however, she lost in the final battle to another coordinator, Brenda, and her Roserade.

At the end of the Contest, Annie walked out of the Contest Hall. As she was heading out, she saw a group of girls. Brenda, the winner, was bragging to her two friends.

Brenda exclaimed, "O-my-gawd! I cannot believe I won my third ribbon! I cannot wait until I become a Pokémon Contest star like Lisia! I just need to win two more in order to participate in the Grand Festival and become the Top Coordinator. Then, I will be famous!"

Her friends shouted with joy to boost her ego. One said, "Why of course, you are so skilled!" Hehehe, the girls giggled and laughed.

Annie thought, " _Huh, if I become Top Coordinator, then I will be famous. I could put myself out there and let my father know my presence in the Hoenn Region._ "

Later that night at the Pokémon Center, Annie wrote in her diary while Fennekin rested in her trainer's lap.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today, I encountered a Contest star. She gave me a Contest Pass and said I had potential in becoming a Top Coordinator. I'm not so sure about that, but Contests are so amazing! I love how the Coordinators show off their Pokémon in a creative style. I can sense a deep connection between them and their trainers. Each performance was so skillful and graceful. I would love to have that kind of connection with Fennekin. More importantly, I think I can use this as an opportunity to find my father._ _I will do whatever it takes to find my father_ _._

In the next few weeks, Annie stayed around the city for sightseeing, hoping by luck she would bump into her father. She also did some reading about Pokémon Contests at the Slateport City Library.

Annie also spend some time cooking, her favorite activity. Her specialty was making Berry macaroons. Her Fennekin loved her Spelon Berry macaroons. Annie loved having fun with Fennekin every day. Fennekin had a lot of energy and an optimistic personality. She enjoyed shopping at the Slateport Market, known to have an excellent Berry market due to fresh Berry shipments every morning.

One day while searching through the market, Annie found a stand selling Spelon Berries and buys some. The price was reasonable being $3 per pound. Annie bought two pounds of Spelon Berries, enough to probably make a dozen macaroons. After making the purchase, Annie made her way back to the center and makes Spelon Berry macaroons for Fennekin. She enjoyed her time in the city and wanted to stay, but one event one day made her change her mind.

After a long day of studying at the Slateport City Library, Annie walked back to the Pokémon Center and saw a young girl lost on the street crying. Annie ran over to calm her down. Then, a few moments later, the young girl's father came and embraced his daughter. Seeing the tight father-daughter relationship made Annie think about her own father. That night, she wrote in her diary.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I have been in Slateport City for exactly a month. There was so much to see. I learned many interesting things about the ocean and water-type Pokémon at the Slateport Museum. I bought matching scarves for Fennekin and myself at the Slateport market. There are many wonderful beaches here. Fennekin and I love to sunbathe on the warm sand. I learned a lot about Pokémon Contests at the Slateport City Library. However, after seeing the lost girl today, I thought about my own father. I think I have been staying here for too long. I must move on and continue searching._

The next morning, Annie packed up her things and decided to venture north of Slateport City. She took the bus that goes to the outskirts of the city.

Meanwhile, Dillon got out of bed and went to the front counter to get Tyrogue back from Nurse Joy. Nurse Joy took Tyrogue's Pokéball out and gave it to Dillon

"Thank you very much Nurse Joy for your help," said Dillon.

"It was my pleasure," said Nurse Joy. "Make sure to take good care of Tyrogue."

Dillon asked, "Nurse Joy, can you please tell me the location of the closest Gym."

"That would be in Mauville City which is just north of Slateport City," said Nurse Joy.

Dillon took the same bus to the outskirts of the city. After getting off the bus, he headed towards the road that will take him to Mauville City. Dillon walked a few miles down the road and heard:

"You're the weakest trainer I ever battled. I can't believe my Elekid defeated your Fennekin with one Thunderbolt attack. You have the most pathetic Pokémon. I would get rid of that thing if I were you. I thought I was going to get some training done with my Elekid, but obviously, there's not much training I could have done here."


	4. Chapter 3: When Two Hearts Become One

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

As Dillon walked further down the road, he heard a familiar voice, but in a different tone.

"You're the weakest trainer I ever battled. I can't believe my Elekid defeated your Fennekin with one Thunderbolt attack. You have the most pathetic Pokémon. I would get rid of that thing if I were you. I thought I was going to get some training done with my Elekid, but obviously, there's not much training I could have done here."

He saw Randy up ahead and a girl on the ground, crying.

"What is going on here?" asked Dillon.

Randy noticed his rival and said, "Oh, why if it isn't Dillon. What? Did you come to rescue your girlfriend here?"

"Cut it out, Randy!" yelled Dillon. "Do you feel better making fun of a girl?"

Annie continued to shed tears but looked up at Dillon when he said those words.

"You just worry about yourself because the next time we battle, you will lose. I did not show my full potential yet. I tried to go easy on you that day, but just you wait, Dillon. Soon you will see my full team," said Randy.

Randy walked away toward Mauville City. Dillon turned towards the girl on the ground.

"Are you ok?" asked Dillon. Dillon pulled out a handkerchief for Annie.

"Thank you. I am, but my Fennekin is not," said Annie still in tears. "My Fennekin tried her very best in that battle, but we lost. I'm not sad about the loss, but what that guy said was really upsetting."

"Here, let me see your Fennekin," said Dillon.

Dillon got Fennekin from Annie's arms and saw many wounds on Fennekin. Dillon took Fennekin and Annie to a nearby tree and took out his first aid kit. First, he gently wiped Fennekin clean with a towel. Then, he used a Potion to treat Fennekin's wounds. He got an Oran Berry from his bag and chopped it up into small pieces for Fennekin.

"Fennekin, eat this Oran Berry. It will heal you," said Dillon.

Fennekin ate the Oran Berry slowly.

"Fennekin should feel better by tomorrow," said Dillon.

Annie said, "Thank you very much for your help. I don't know what I would do if you didn't show up. What is your name by the way?"

"Oh, I apologize. I'm Dillon and yours?"

"I'm Annie. Nice to meet you Dillon."

"So Annie, what do you do?"

"I'm… I'm a Pokémon Coordinator and also travelling through the Hoenn Region to see new places with my Fennekin. How about you?"

"I'm going around the Hoenn Region to collect Gym Badges so I can compete in the Hoenn League. It's almost lunchtime. Do you want to join me for lunch?"

"Sure!"

Annie and Dillon set up a picnic under the tree. Dillon sents out his Tyrogue to join. Tyrogue was a little hostile toward Annie.

"Tyrogue seems to be mad at me. Did I do something wrong?" asked Annie with a worried expression.

"No, it's not you. Its just Tyrogue has been through a lot and takes a long time to get familiar with other people and Pokémon," explained Dillon.

"What makes Tyrogue so hostile to other people?"

Dillon gives Tyrogue a can of Pokémon food.

"Well, i guess it should all start back in the Johto Region where I'm from. I found Tyrogue one day tied to a pole as I was walking down the street. Tyrogue was badly injured so I took it home and secretly healed him. When he got a little better, Tyrogue became very hostile with me too. But I continued to take care of him and gave it food. One snowy winter day, Tyrogue ran off. I search everywhere for him and found Tyrogue in an alleyway practicing some punches and kicks. I went up to Tyrogue and he attacked me. However, I let it attack me until he was worn out. I took Tyrogue back to my home again and healed it. After a few days, Tyrogue was able to gain my trust and that was when I decided to make Tyrogue my partner. I think Tyrogue was previously abandoned by a trainer or had a harsh life in the past. Still, from time to time, Tyrogue would still be feisty with me."

"It seems like the both of you have a pretty tight connection," said Annie.

"Thank you. I do consider our relationship is getting closer and closer by the day. You and your Fennekin seem to be also close. The way you cradled Fennekin in your arms and your tears was really moving back there. I can see you really love and care for your Fennekin." said Dillon.

Annie answered, "You seem to really good at analyzing." She smiled and then looked at Fennekin. "Yes, we are really close. Fennekin is my first Pokémon partner and we both are really similar. We both like to be eat, dress up, and play together."

"So are you from the Kalos Region? Fennekin is pretty rare in the Hoenn Region," asked Dillon.

Annie stuttered for a second and answered, "Yes, I am. I actually just came to the Hoenn Region to learn more about Pokémon Contests."

Dillon said, "I see. Since you're new and I'm new, do you want to travel together?"

Annie expressed interest and said, "Yes! I would love to."

Fennekin woke up. Annie pulled out a Spelon Berry from her bag and chopped it into small pieces. She gave it to Fennekin to eat.

"Spelon Berries are her favorite type of berries," said Annie.

After Fennekin finished the Berry, Dillon asked if Annie wanted to continue walking to Mauville City. Along the way, they passed by a bright green field filled with a sea of flowers. Suddenly, Dillon grabbed Annie's hand, making her slightly blush, and they ran toward the flowers.

"Don't you just love the breeze and view out here," said Dillon. "This is why I love travelling, getting to see the magnificent views of the world!"

Annie admired Dillon's love of nature and fell in love with his captivating smile. Then, Annie ran towards Dillon.

"Tag, you're it!" Annie said and ran away.

Dillon responded, "So, you want to play tag, huh."

Dillon chased after Annie and the two played tag for a while. While playing tag, a Plusle and Minun appeared within the tall flowers. They saw Annie and Dillon have fun so they ran towards them and shocked them with a Spark attack. Annie and Dillon noticed the two mischievous Pokémon.

"Let's chase them," said Annie.

The two chased the Plusle and Minun through the field. After a while, Annie and Dillon became too tired and lay down on the ground, out of breath.

"That was fun!" said Annie.

"Yeah, I don't think we ended up tagging them. They sure are fast," said Dillon.

Annie laughed and said, "Nope".

"Hey Annie," said Dillon.

"What is it?" asked Annie.

Dillon began to tickle Annie. Annie screamed and laughed at the same time while Dillon continued to tickle her. The Plusle and Minun then ran towards them. Annie, Dillon, Plusle, and Minun sat together on the ground after playing. Then, Plusle and Minun got up and continued playing. Annie and Dillon sat and watched. Plusle was running and jumping around as if it was performing while Minun was releasing a Thunder Punch and Spark attack.

"Hey Annie, I think Plusle loves to perform and Minun loves to battle. Why don't we catch them and bring them along with us on our journey," said Dillon.

 _Our?_ Annie wondered. She looked at Dillon while Dillon continued to look at Plusle and Minun.

"Hey you two, come here!" said Dillon.

Plusle and Minun ran to the two.

"Would the both of you want to come with us? Minun, you can come with me and we can compete with each other in the Hoenn League. Plusle, Annie is a coordinator who performs on stage." said Dillon

Plusle and Minun looked at each other first and looked at Annie and Dillon. Suddenly, the two Pokémon made a big smile. Plusle jumped into Annie's arms while Minun hopped onto Dillon's shoulder. Annie and Dillon each pulled out a Pokéball for Plusle and Minun, respectively. The day was getting late so Annie and Dillon decided to set up camp in the flower field. Dillon rolled out his sleeping bag while Annie set up her tent. They sent out their Pokémon. Tyrogue was still hostile to the other Pokémon and Annie, but Fennekin, Plusle, and Minun had fun playing with each other. Dillon made a fire and began to cook for the group. He had some sausages and cooked them over the fire for Annie and himself. Annie had some Berries she bought at the Slateport Market and they ate it for dessert. Dillon also prepared food for the Pokémon. As night began to fall, Annie, Fennekin, and Plusle sat near the fire to keep warm while Dillon did some training with Tyrogue and Minun. One training method Dillon practice with Tyrogue was foot training. Dillon found a large rock near their campsite.

"Tyrogue, we will practice your Low Kick move right now," said Dillon. "This move will come in handy when you're up against Pokémon heavier than yourself. Now first, you must learn to aim your kick at the opponent's legs. Legs are what support the Pokémon, which means it is where a Pokémon is the most vulnerable."

Dillon created a mark at the bottom of the rock as a target and had Tyrogue hit the target with precision. Tyrogue attempted once and then a few times. With practice and determination, Tyrogue was able to smash into the targeted area and created a dent.

Dillon reviewed Minun's moveset using his Pokédex. Minun know the moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift.

"Minun, while Tyrogue practices on Low Kick. I want you to show off your Spark move and then Swift," said Dillon.

Minun released a spark of electricity followed by a cluster of stars.

"Now, hit the rock with your Thunder Punch attack," said Dillon.

Electricity formed around Minun's hand and Minun smashed the rock creating a dent.

"Good, I want you to keep practicing your Thunder Punch, so keep smashing the rock," said Dillon.

Both Tyrogue and Minun practiced their attacks until it was very late into the night. Annie was still sitting by the fire and was reading a story to her Pokémon. After a while, Dillon put out the fire and everyone began to sleep. Annie went into her tent while Dillon stayed outside. Dillon gazed at the night sky filled with stars while Annie wrote in her diary.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Today I met a boy named Dillon. He came and rescued my Fennekin right after she was defeated by Randy and his Elekid. Randy was really mean, but all he said was true. I know I am weak. He spoke out all my weaknesses. I felt so powerless during that time. But when I heard Dillon came out of nowhere standing up for me, It seemed like he was my knight in shining armor. He is brave and has a kind heart. He even healed Fennekin back to health._

 _He also asked me to travel with him. Admittedly, I felt nervous at first travelling with a guy, but he seems very nice and genuine. Plus, it also helps that he is very good looking. I think I will stick around with him for now. It would be nice to have a nice, strong guy protecting you once in a while. Should I tell him about my father?_

While Dillon gazed at the night sky and pondered,

 _She is so cute. I think I fell in love. Her watery eyes when I met her made me saw her compassion. Our interaction today made me saw her high spirit and energy. She is like a faucet. She is sad one moment and happy the next. I wish I was like that. I truly hope she is the one who I can confide my struggles with._

Dillon woke up early next morning prepare breakfast. He prepared sandwiches for Annie and himself and Pokemon food for the Pokemon. Tyrogue also woke up and practiced his fighting moves. Soon, Annie, Plusle, Minun, and Fennekin woke up. Everyone had breakfast. Tyrogue only ate an oran berry. The two trainers continued on the road to Mauville City. They soon entered the woods.

Annie and Dillon came across an orienteering contest.

Fennekin noticed a crowd of people gathering under a banner. She hopped off Annie's shoulder excitedly and ran towards it.

"Fennekin, where are you going?" yelled Annie.

"I think Fennekin might be going towards that crowd straight ahead. Let's go check it out," said Dillon.

Fennekin ran up to the crowd and bumped into a Makuhita. Fennekin fell. The Makuhita turned around angrily. Fennekin looked up and all she could see was Makuhita's smirked face. A female trainer wearing tight blue jeans and a white shirt turned around.

She said, "what's up Makit?"

She looks at the ground in front of Makuhita and knelt down.

"Why aren't you a litle cutie?"

She picked Fennekin up into her arms. Annie and Dillon walked up to the female trainer.

"Fennekin, you shouldn't run off like that," Annie lightly scolded.

Fennekin enjoyed being in the arms of the female trainer.

"Is this your Fennekin?" asked the female trainer.

"Yes, my name is Annie. Nice to meet you," said Annie.

"My name is Dillon," said Dillon.

The female trainer said, "My name is Cirie. This is my partner here, Makit."

"Hey Cirie, do you what is this event all about?" asked Dillon.

"Oh, this is an orienteering contest," said Cirie. "The objective is to go around the forest and find five checkpoints along with scavenger items. We can partner up with one of our Pokemon and the winning team who is the first to reach all checkpoints and the make it back to the finish line will win a year supply of Pokeblock."

"Annie, we should definitely enter. You are a coordinator and Pokeblocks are key items for you," said Dillon.

"Sure, I think it will be fun," said Annie. "Let's enter!"

Annie, Dillon, and Cirie waited patiently in line to register. Cirie entered with her Makuhita, Annie entered with her Fennekin, and Dillon entered with his Tyrogue.

Before the start of the contest, the orienteering leader stated the rules.

The orienteering leader announced, "Hello everyone! Welcome to the 24th annual Dorian Woods orienteering contest! This year, we have 36 contestants. Each team must consist of one trainer and one Pokemon. Teams are not allowed to work with other teams. Teams will head out in twelve sets. The first set of team will consist of three trainers and will start the contest. Sets will be created by random draw. There will be a five minute difference between each set of trainers leaving the starting line. Each team should have one rope, flashlight, and axe as your tools. If you don't have one, please let us know immediately. Teams must find the five checkpoints and stamp their card at each checkpoint. In addition, you must find three items. Some items might require you to battle the orienteering Pokemon. There will also be healing stations around the site for your access. The first set will head out in ten minutes. Please get ready and make sure to have fun!"

The sets were done by random draw. Dillon was in the second set, Cirie was in the sixth set, and Annie was in the eleventh set. The first set of team was sent off into the forest and the subsequent sets were sent off in time intervals of five minutes. The items on Dillon's list was a Sitrus Berry, Razor Claw, and Thick Club. Cirie has to find a Tiny Mushroom, Farfetch'd Stick, and Smooth Rock. Finally, Annie has to find Bluk Berry, Big Mushroom, and Metal Coat.

As Dillon was running to search for his items, another team passed by.

The trainer said, "You might as well give up because my Mightyena here has the ability pick up so these items are going to be a piece of cake. And I was the previous winner of the orienteering contest so I know this wood like the back of my hands. Bye, Loser."

"He sure was full of himself," said Dillon confused by the situation. "Let's go Tyrogue."

Cirie was running along the forest trails searching for a tiny mushroom.

"Hmm, tiny mushrooms are usually found under trees. Let's search each tree carefully, Makit," said Cirie. "I don't see one… Huh? It's a checkpoint!"

Cirie found her first checkpoint and stamped her card.

"Let's go find the tiny mushroom, Makit," said Cirie.

"Tyrogue, use tackle!" said Dillon. Tyrogue was fighting against a Marowak holding a thick club. Tyrogue tackled Marowak. The Marowak lunged forward to Tyrogue holding its bone up high attempting to land a Bone Club attack.

"Dodge it and use low sweep," said Dillon. Tyrogue skillfully does a backflip to dodge the attack and extended his right foot to sweep Marowak off its feet. Marowak fell.

"Now, use low kick," said Dillon. Tyrogue targeted Marowak's legs and striked it with a low kick attack. Marowak was dealt damage and accepted defeat. The ground-type Pokemon handed over the thick club to Dillon.

"Yes!" exclaimed Dillon. "We did it Tyrogue! We got a thick club and that low kick was near perfection."

Annie searched for a Bluk Berry and had no idea where to look. She found two checkpoints and was able to spot some bluk berries on a cliff a few minutes later. However, the trainer with the Mightyena appeared. He also had to find a Bluk Berry. Before Annie could have reacted, the trainer commanded his Mightyena to leap up towards the Bluk Berry. Mightyena was able to get it and the trainer laughed at Annie.

"You gotta move faster than that," said the trainer. "You'll never win if you're moving slower than a Slowpoke." The trainer laughed and ran away with his Mightyena.

Fennekin was by Annie's leg and showed an angry look at the other trainer for teasing her trainer. When she noticed that her trainer was shedding tears, she rubbed on her leg to provide support.

"Fennekin, I feel like such a loser," Annie cried and ran away. Fennekin followed her. The clouds in the sky were turning gray.

All of a sudden, Annie did not watch where she was running. She slipped and rolled down a hill. When she began to fell, she dropped her orienteering pass. Fennekin approached the slope and let out a cry to her trainer.

It began to rain and it rained hard. Everyone of the contestants made it back to the main lodge except Annie. Dillon saw Cirie came back.

"Cirie, did you see Annie when you were out there?" Dillon asked.

Cirie responded, "No, is she not back?"

Dillon said, "No, I'm worried that she is still out there in this rain."

"When I was coming back, I almost slipped down a hill. Do you think Annie might be in an accident?" asked Cirie.

Dillon began to get worried and said, "I'll go out there and look."

"But it's pouring out there," said Cirie. "Let's notify the police."

"You do that, but I have to go out and search," said Dillon.

Cirie said, "ok, but be careful. Here are some extra ropes for you and a flashlight. I will notify the staff and police."

"Thank you," said Dillon.

Dillon wore a poncho and went outside to search. It was dark and freezing. The rain was pouring down making it hard to see. All he had was his flashlight as his light source. As he was searching through the rain, he yelled out for Annie. His clothes got soaked, but he refuses to quit searching. The rain also made the dirt path very moist creating thick mud all around the forest. Dillon trudged through the mud. Throughout his searching, Annie was on his mind. As he was searching, he saw Fennekin and ran towards her. Fennekin was trying to find her back to the lodge, but got lost. Fortunately, Dillon was able to find Fennekin. Fennekin took Dillon to Annie's location. Dillon saw her orienteeing pass on the ground and called out to Annie. He saw a dim light in the distance. Dillon tied the ropes he had together to form one long rope. He tied one end of the rope to a tree and the other end around his waist. He went down the slippery hill. The light got brighter and brighter as he went down. Annie was crying for help; her voice was raspy from the cold rain. She was stuck in the mud. The mud was half way up her waist. The rain was so cold that it caused her to be weak. Dillon got closer to Annie; however, when he got near her, the rope was not long enough. He was not at arm's reach, but he could see Annie was only a few feet away.

"Shoot," said Dillon in frustration.

His legs were shaking; he felt unsteady on the muddy slope.

"Help!" Annie shouted in despair.

" _I have to do this. She needs help,_ " Dillon said to himself.

Dillon shouted, "Annie, I'm coming!"

The rain was still coming down hard. Dillon untied the rope from his waist and leapt down to Annie.

"Annie!" said Dillon.

Annie was stuck in the mud and Dillon gave her a hug to provide support.

Annie said while crying in fear, "I'm scared."

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of here," said Dillon.

Dillon removed the mud by scraping it away quickly with his hands. He pulled Annie out of the mud. He removed his poncho from his body and placed it on Annie.

"I'll get you out of here; everything will be fine; I promise," said Dillon. "Get on my back."

Annie got onto Dillon's back and Dillon climbed back to the rope. Dillon dug into the mud while climbing. He reached the rope and used all of his energy to pull them both back up. Dillon preservered with every pull and Annie on his back. He stood his ground and pulled them both back up to the ledge. Both of them laid on the ground from being exhausted. The rain continued to pour down. Fennekin ran towards them.

Dillon was out of breath and said, "See… I… I told you I would… p…"

"Oh my gosh, wake up!" said Annie in distress. "Dillon, get up! Help!"

In a bit, Annie saw a light in the distance. It was Officer Jenny and her team. The police crew brought the two teens back to the lodge.

Back at the lodge, Dillon was resting on a bed and Annie sat by his side. Dillon had some injuries. He woke up and felt Annie touching his face. Annie was wiping him with a hankerchief.

"You're up," said Annie.

"Are you ok," asked Dillon.

Annie responded, "Yes I am. Thank you for rescuing me back there. I literally thought no one was going to come and rescue me, but you came. When you appeared, I soon realized when I'm faced in a life and death moment, I realized the one person that I truly miss."

There was a moment of silence while Annie and Dillon looked at each other.

"Why did you went out to the rain to rescue me? I got you hurt in the process. I'm sorry," said Annie.

"Can you stop saying sorry," said Dillon.

Annie answered, "Answer my question first."

"Because… because something about you attracts me. I feel some sort of a connection to you." said Dillon.

Annie teared up a little hearing what Dillon said.

Dillon asked softly, "you're crying."

He wiped the tear off Annie's cheek. Annie placed her hand on his hand. She got up from her chair and hugged him.

"Dillon, Thank you," said Annie emotionally. "I'm fortunate to have someone like you come into my life."

"I…I... I love you," said Annie passionately. The two kissed.


	5. Chapter 4: Three's a Crowd

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

Hi, everyone! Here is Chapter 4 and the introduction of our third protagonist!

* * *

In the morning, Cirie practiced archery in the yard of the main contest lodge.

 _Cirie hailed from, to her, the quiet and uninteresting Oldale Town. She just turned 20 years old and loved going on adventures. She collected the Hoenn Gym Badges and competed in the Ever Grande Conference during the start of her journey. After that, she went onto competing in the Kanto League and Johto League, but didn't won either. The highest she made was top 8 in the Kanto League. But after the Johto League, she realized that she just wanted to travel and see new places without a goal; hence, she travelled around Johto and then Kanto for a second time. She made sure to experience more adventures than her first time. Her first time was mainly focused on collecting gym badges and training._

 _During her second time around the regions, she encountered many new adventures such as learning about Pokémon photography from a guy in the Viridian forest, seeing Cleffa's evolutionary line dance on top of Mt. Moon, exploring the ghost tower in Lavender Town, getting lost for fun in Dark Cave, learning about the history of Ho-oh, and participating in the Pokéathlon. She actually was skilled enough to participate in the Pokéathlon world tournament in which she finished in third place._

 _There were scary times, but there were wonderful times. She met a whole bunch of people on her journey and she saw the deep connection between Trainer and their Pokémon many times. It helped her see a different side of people and Pokémon. Also, there were mysterious encounters. When she was travelling through Hoenn in her early days, she encountered the secretive Mirage Island that the people of Pacificlog Town were talking about. It took her multiple attempts to reach the island, and she failed exactly thirteen times due to the many whirlpools surrounding the island. It was definitely an adventure and she eventually reached the land. She made friends with one of the Wynaut and her friend, Wailord, who helped her get back to the mainland._

 _After four years of travelling through the Kanto and Johto Region for a second time, Cirie thought it was time to return home. In addition, she wanted to make a fresh start when she return home. Her plan was to leave her Pokémon at home when got back except her dear friend, Makit. She boarded the plane in Olivine City in the Johto Region to Slateport City._

 _She just returned home a few weeks ago to Oldale Town to greet her parents and headed right back out the next day with only her Makit eagered to find new adventures._

Cirie aimed a shot at the target. "Bullseye.".

Cirie placed her archery bow down and went inside the lodge. The lodge was a fairly large facility in the middle of the woods. It had a restaurant, lodging, and a recreational room.

Meanwhile, Annie and Dillon were sharing a passionate kiss.

Cirie came into the room and became surprised at the sudden action between her new friends.

After a while, Cirie coughed, disturbing the two.

Annie got up quickly and felt embarrassed.

Cirie said, "Why good morning, you two. I came to visit to see how Dillon was doing and it seems like he is doing just fine. Want to get breakfast?"

Annie blushed and hurried out of the room. Cirie looked at Dillon.

"You sure got her blushing," said Cirie.

"You ruined the moment," said Dillon.

"Well, I'm sorry," Cirie teased. "How was it?"

Dillon smiled and gave a thumbs up. But he felt a little annoyed that the kiss didn't last longer.

"How are you doing?" asked Cirie. "You were badly injured when Officer Jenny brought you to the lodge."

"Not too well," said Dillon.

"Well, I hope you recover soon. By the way, I'm really impressed by your passion for Annie," praised Cirie. "I think you won her heart last night. From an outsider's perspective, it was more like a knight rescuing her lady. Plus, your rescue was probably an adventure. I always long for adventures. The smell of dirt and the howling wind gives me the itch to have an adventure."

Dillon listened quietly to Cirie rambling on her passion for adventures.

"Throughout ten years of travelling, I never witnessed one human being go all out to rescue another," said Cirie. "... besides the police. I'm really impressed on what you did there back there. Well, I'll be heading off to find Annie and making sure she, I mean your lady, bring you your breakfast."

During the course of three days, Dillon and Annie stayed at the lodge for Dillon to recover. Annie took care of Dillon and comforted him in the process. On the second night, Dillon was sitting on his bed while Annie was sitting on a chair by his bed. The room was dark with the candle being the only light source.

"Dillon," said Annie softly.

Dillon answered, "what's going on?"

"I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"My goal is actually not becoming a Coordinator. My goal in coming to Hoenn is to find my father."

"Your father?"

Annie nodded her head.

"My father left home eleven years ago, but never returned. When I was small, my father would leave home many times and each time, I have no idea where he was going. Even though he left, he would come back in a month or two. Whenever he comes home, we had so much fun playing with each other. However, one day, my father said he would be leaving for a year long. That year became eleven years. My mother and I still await his return. My mother and I received one letter from him the whole time. The letter was addressed from the local Pokémon Center in Slateport City. I wanted to find him earlier, but my mother needed me at home to help care for my grandmother. During that time, I missed my father dearly, but couldn't do anything about it. When my mother found time to take care of my grandmother herself, I'm already 15 and she sent me off to the Hoenn Region. When I arrived in Slateport City, I asked Nurse Joy, but she did not know. I came here with his letter, painting, and a picture of my family."

Annie showed Dillon the picture and the painting.

"My father painted this for my mother back in the days when they were dating."

Dillon read the poem on the painting

"Tis the autumn season. Standing beside a misty lake. Luvdiscs leaps and splashes. As rainfall drops, as Luvdisc appears. Our love deepens. And never disappears." Dillon read. "That's nice. Your father was romantic. Thank you for sharing your story with me."

Annie said, "I chose to tell you this because of what you did for me. You rescued me from being emotionally and physically in danger. I feel like I'm getting closer to you more and more."

"Don't worry, we will find your father together," Dillon assured Annie to comfort her. "So, how do you know about contests?"

"Oh, that. After I asked Nurse Joy, she told me to watch a Pokémon Contest held in Slateport City. So I went and was somehow recruited by someone named Lisia. She gave me a costume and a Pokeblock kit and encouraged me to participate in Pokémon contests."

"Oh, that's an interesting way to be introduced to something."

"Yeah, I wasn't so sure at first, but after watching the Slateport contest, it was the greatest thing I ever seen. I loved watching the performances. It was so magical. After the contest was over, I overheard the winner brag to her friends that contests can make people famous. Then, it made me think that I could put my name out there and maybe it would make it easier to find my father. So, that's how I got into Pokémon contests."

"Oh I see. But I think you should still consider Pokémon contests. It can preoccupy your time and might be a good bonding experience for both you and your Pokémon. I can help you train as well. Now, why don't you head back to the room and sleep? We'll figure it all out in due time. It's getting late."

Dillon touched Annie's hand in a comforting manner.

"Ok, thanks for listening. Good night," said Annie.

"Good night," replied Dillon.

Annie picked up her things and went back to her room.

Dillon pondered alone, " _I wish my relationship with my father was as close as her relationship_."

Dillon shed a tear thinking about his family especially his mother.

The next day, the orienteering competition continued with everyone participating except for Annie and Dillon. Cirie also encountered the trainer with the Mightyena and it turned out that his name was Shawn. They both found a Smooth Rock held by a Sandslash, causing Cirie and Shawn to have a Pokémon battle between Makit and Mightyena.

"Makit, that Machoke is holding a Smooth Rock," exclaimed Cirie. "Hey, Sandslash! Let's have a battle for that Smooth Rock!"

Sandslash noticed the two and got into a fighting stance showing that it was ready for battle.

"Alright, be prepared to hand it over!" Cirie said confidently.

"Just you wait," said a voice.

Shawn appeared running towards them.

"I believe you should hand over that Smooth Rock to us since they'll lose to you eventually," said Shawn arrogantly.

Cirie angerly said, "What do you mean by that, you snob!"

"What I mean is that you'll lose to Sandslash and we can beat it," said Shawn.

"Ok, smarty. Why don't we have a battle and the winner gets the Smooth Rock," said Cirie.

"Fine with me," said Shawn. "It saves me time defeating one Pokémon instead of two."

Cirie became annoyed with Shawn's cocky attitude.

"Are you fine with that Sandslash," asked Cirie. Sandslash nodded its head. "Ok, then. Be prepared to lose that little smirk on your face."

Shawn continued to smirk and said, "You don't know what's coming for ya."

Makit and Shawn's Mightyena got into position.

Shawn said, "We'll let the lady go first."

"You don't have to be a gentleman, but since you're not attacking, we'll make the first move," said Cirie. "Makit, Focus Energy."

A red light shrouded around Makit and Makit tightened his focus. Mightyena locked its focus.

"Wait for it," said Shawn.

"Now, use Seismic Toss!" said Cirie.

Makit ran towards Mightyena. Mightyena focused on Makit, but Shawn did not voiced any commands.

"Wait for it," said Shawn.

Makit was a foot or two away from Mightyena. Out of nowhere, Shawn commanded, "Use Crunch!"

Mightyena spranded towards Makit and bit down hard on Makit's right arm.

"That's it, bite down hard and don't let go," said Shawn. "Like a Seviper, let it suffer first and strike."

Mightyena continued to bite down on Makit. Makit felt the excruciating pain. Cirie told Makit to try to release from it, but Mightyena had a tight grip.

"Now, lift it up and slam it down!" said Shawn.

Mightyena lifted Makit by the arm and slammed it down on the ground.

Shawn commanded, "Use Shadow Ball!"

Mightyena released multiple dark orbs from its mouth and the dark orbs directly hit Makit. An explosion followed.

"Makit, stand up!" said Cirie.

Makit eventually got right back up.

"Use Bulk up," said Cirie.

Makit's arms and legs began to glow red and bulked up raising his attack and defense power.

"Like that's going to help," said Shawn. "Use Swagger!"

Mightyena's eyes glow red and confused Makit. Makit started hitting itself.

"Use Shadow Ball!" said Shawn.

Mightyena used another round of Shadow Ball which directly hits Makit again.

Shawn enthusiastically said, "Finish it with a Hyper Beam!"

His partner released a powerful orange beam of energy and the attack caused an explosion.

"Noooo!" shouted Cirie.

After the smoke cleared up, Makit laid down on the ground and was unable to battle. The Sandslash handed the Smooth Rock over to Shawn. Shawn turned towards Cirie and laughed in an arrogant manner.

"Where's your confidence now," said Shawn.

Despite having the type advantage, Cirie lost. She could not overcome Mightyena's Shadow Ball and Hyper Beam combination as well as Mightyena's speed. Shawn eventually won the entire competition and gloated about his victory in the others' face. Cirie was upset, but she was optimistic about her next adventure. She could have left after the competition was over, but her conscience was telling her to get to know her new friends, Annie and Dillon, more.

While Dillon was getting up, Cirie came into his room. Annie was there assisting him.

"Good morning!" said Cirie cheerfully. "How are the two of you doing?"

"Good morning, Cirie," said Annie. "I'm fine. Dillon is also completely healed."

"Glad to hear," said Cirie. "So, what are your next plans?"

"We're planning to continue on heading north to Mauville City," said Dillon.

"Ohhh heyy!" Cirie said optimistically. "Why, what a coincidence, I'm heading that way too. Why don't we go together?!"

Annie and Dillon looked at each other and nervously laughed. Then, they nodded their heads.

After their breakfast and preparations, they headed down the road towards Mauville City.

Behind them, a man appeared in a black suit and wearing black sunglasses.

"I found him sir," the man said in a deep voice. "How should I proceed?"

* * *

Well, that's all I have for y'all for now. What did you think of the Annie revealing her big secret to Dillon? And what did you think of Shawn? And who was that at the end? You will be informed in due time.


	6. Chapter 5, Part a: Building Trust

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

Hi everyone, this chapter will be split into two parts due to the length of the chapter.

* * *

After walking for a while along the forest pathway to Mauville City, they realized they were not alone. Something was lurking in the shadow of the trees and bushes. Suddenly, there was a hissing sound.

"What was that?" asked a spooked Annie.

"I'm not sure," said a perplexed Cirie.

A light popped out of Dillon's pocket. It was Tyrogue.

"Tyrogue, what are you doing out of your Pokéball?" questioned Dillon.

Tyrogue felt a weird vibe. All of a sudden, the travelers and Tyrogue heard another hissing sound. Tyrogue jumped to the left suddenly into the bushes.

A sound followed, "Sevipa!"

Tyrogue and the Pokémon jumped out of the bushes. When they landed, it was Tyrogue on one end and a snake like Pokémon on the other.

"A Seviper!" screamed Cirie.

Dillon pulled out his Pokédex and the dex entry read,

" _Seviper, the Fang Snake Pokémon, Seviper's swordlike tail serves two purposes - it slashes foes and douses them with secretive poison. This Pokémon will not give up its long-running blood feud with Zangoose._ "

After analyzing Seviper in his Pokédex, Dillon looked up and saw Tyrogue preparing to do a Low Kick on Seviper.

"No Tyrogue!" shouted Dillon. "Stop!"

However, Tyrogue didn't listen and continued to head towards the Seviper. All of a sudden, Seviper sent out its tail and wrapped around Tyrogue, immobilizing him.

"Oh no," said Annie. "Tyrogue is in danger!"

Cirie shouted at the Seviper, "Let it go, you big bully!"

Seviper continued to squeeze Tyrogue tighter and tighter, then slammed Tyrogue repeatedly on the ground.

Annie said, "Why is it being so mean?"

"Makit!" said Cirie. "Come on out and help Tyrogue!"

Cirie released Makit from his Pokéball.

"Makit, you arm thrust on Seviper," said Cirie.

Seviper dodged the move and then swung Tyrogue towards Makit sending both flying back in the direction of their trainers. Tyrogue got up again and ran towards Seviper with an angry expression. Seviper's tail glowed purple.

"I think that's Poison Tail," said Cirie.

The snake-like Pokémon swung its tail like a lasso and hits Tyrogue. Tyrogue was hit hard and down on the ground.

Tyrogue's shoulder was hurt from the fall and Poison Tail. Seviper blew the raspberries at Tyrogue and slithered away. Tyrogue gave a nasty look at Seviper, and he felt embarrassed. His trainer ran up to him.

"Tyrogue, are you ok," said Dillon.

When Dillon touched Tyrogue with a comforting hand, Tyrogue instantly shoved his trainer and ran away. Dillon, Annie, and Cirie were shocked.

"Why did Tyrogue do that?" asked Annie.

"Tyrogue has been through a lot," said Dillon. "He hates losing. I have to follow him. You guys wait here."

Tyrogue ran some distance but collapsed near a tree. He was breathing heavily due to the substantial damage. Dillon found Tyrogue on the ground. When Dillon approached Tyrogue, Tyrogue stood up and yelled, telling his Trainer to back off.

"Look buddy," said Dillon. "I know you hate losing, and I hate seeing you like that. Why don't we train hard so we can defeat that Seviper?"

Tyrogue shook his head to the side trying to ignore his trainer.

"Look, would you just listen to me please," said Dillon

Tyrogue turned his back away and started to cry.

"I know you're upset," said Dillon. "I know that Seviper had kicked down your pride, but you know what, I'm upset too. I'm upset that you didn't choose to listen to me. I'm upset that you didn't let me battle with you and work like a team."

Dillon's words hit a nerve in Tyrogue.

"To tell you the truth, I always try to do my best when battling with you because I don't want to disappoint you. I want us to win so we can celebrate our accomplishment."

Tyrogue looked at his trainer.

"I noticed you want to do things your way, but that's not how it works. You and I need to work together as a team. I need to call out moves and keep you safe during the battle."

While Dillon was saying that, all Tyrogue can remember was the brutality he suffered back in the days when he was with his former trainer.

 _Tyrogue was formerly owned by a black belt trainer. Everyday his trainer made him train or battle. If he lost, his trainer would not feed him for the day and Tyrogue lived off a berry per day back then. At a certain point, Tyrogue lost six battles consecutively. When he lost his seventh match in a row due to fatigue and hunger, his trainer was fed up with him._

" _How could you have lost that battle?" said the black belt. "We trained hard up to this point."_

 _He turned his back and sighed in disappointment._

" _I can't keep training someone who cannot improve. You're pathetic."_

 _Tyrogue was sitting on the ground from exhuastion and was shocked on his trainer's words._

 _One day, he tied up Tyrogue and placed him in an alleyway in Goldenrod City. As he walked away, Tyrogue ran after him, but the rope can only go so far. Tyrogue watched emotionally as his trainer walked away. He was left in the cold and as times passed, he grew hungry, tired, and miserable. He felt there was no compassion left in this world and thought that his remaining days of life will end here in the cold. However, a few days later, Dillon found him and took him in and he gave him a home._

"So what do you say bud," asked Dillon. "Let's train together."

Tyrogue was shocked on his trainer's comforting and supporting words. This was his first lost with Dillon and he thought Dillon was going to give him up like his previous trainer. So he ran away to avoid feeling the same pain he felt before. He faced his trainer and both exchanged serious looks. He nodded his head, creating a smile across Dillon's face.

"First, eat this Pecha Berry," said Dillon.

Dillon tossed Tyrogue a Pecha Berry.

"Let's work on a defensive strategy against Seviper's Poison Tail," said Dillon. "I want you to form an X with your arms. Now, when I hit you, you use your arms to block my hit."

Tyrogue formed an X with his arms. Dillon launched his fist at Tyrogue and Tyrogue blocked him. Dillon also sent out Minun and asked Minun to launch a thunder punch at Tyrogue.

"Minun, I want you to use your Thunder Punch at Tyrogue so he can practice his defense strategy," said Dillon. "And you can practice your Thunder Punch as well."

Tyrogue was pushed back at first, but overtime was able to stand his ground.

"Good, keep up the good work you two," said Dillon. "After a few more, we will work on arm workouts."

After a while, Dillon, Minun, and Tyrogue did push ups to increase their arm strength.

Dillon said, "Ok team, let's do push ups. I want to get down to the ground and lift your body up and do push ups. We will do 5 sets of 10."

Dillon did them along with Tyrogue and Minun. The three did some more training through the day.

"Tyrogue, you're doing a great job at blocking the Thunder Punch," said Dillon. "But position one leg forward and one leg back to stand your ground. It will also help you build leg strength."

After a few more practice, Dillon introduced a new training. He wanted Tyrogue to practice dodging his opponents.

"Now Tyrogue, pretend Minun's Thunder Punch is Seviper's Poison Tail attack," said Dillon. "Make sure to focus on his hand as you dodge by jumping away as it comes close."

Tyrogue had good endurance and focused on Minun's Thunder Punch as he dodged by jumping back. With practice, Tyrogue was able to dodge better and better. When Tyrogue backed up into a tree, Tyrogue jumped higher and behind Minun.

"That's it Tyrogue," said Dillon. "Use Tackle!"

Tyrogue charged into and tackled and unexpected Minun.

"Sorry Minun," said Dillon. "I was just pumped up to see Tyrogue dodging so well. Look what practice can do, Tyrogue."

Tyrogue smiled at his trainer and felt a closer, trusting connection with him.

" _Tyrogue, I believe in you_ ," said Dillon in his thoughts.

The two stared into each other and believed in the other. After, the three continued to train.

The day was getting late and the three of them decide to head back to Annie and Cirie.


	7. Chapter 5, Part b: Building Trust

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

Meanwhile, Annie and Cirie were setting up camp and waiting for Dillon to return. Fennekin, Makit, and Plusle were helping. Cirie was setting up her camping stove and was beginning to cook dinner.

"Wow Cirie, you have a lot of cooking supplies," said Annie.

Cirie said, "Yeah, I like to cook for myself on my 's an important skill in life. Do you like to cook Annie?"

"I do, especially baking macaroons Fennekin here loves to eat Spelon berry macaroons."

Annie takes out her macaroon box. There were Spelon berry macaroons she made in the Slateport City Pokémon Center.

"Here you Fennekin," said Annie. "Plusle and Makit, here's one for you too."

Plusle tried one and didn't really like the taste. Makit was fine with it.

"Plusle, I promise to find your favorite berry and make macaroons especially for you," said Annie.

Plusle cheered up.

"Hey, Annie, can you help me dice the veggies?" asked Cirie. "I think I'm going to make some stew for us tonight. I think the boys will be hungry for sure when they return."

"I know, right," said Annie.

"Fennekin, can you use a small ember for the stove, please?" asked Cirie.

Fennekin used a small ember attack to light up the stove. The two girls began cooking. Their Pokémon relaxed and played with each other nearby.

It was almost dark.

Cirie said, "Alright, the stew is almost finished."

Annie, Fennekin, Plusle, and Makit were drooling and hovering near the pot smelling the tasty aroma of the stew. Cirie nervously laughed.

"Ok, ok calm down now," said Cirie. "Let's set up a campfire and set up the dishes. Annie, can you and Makit collect some branches and rocks from nearby?"

"Ok," said Annie. "Let's go Makit!"

Cirie turned towards Fennekin and Plusle, "And can you two help me dig a fire pit?"

Fennekin, Plusle, and Cirie dug a fire pit. After Annie and Makit came back, Cirie started a campfire.

"I hope Dillon comes back soon," said Cirie.

The girls and their Pokémon sat around the fire, ate the stew, and drank tea Cirie made.

"Annie, I know Fennekin is pretty rare in the Hoenn Region. Where are you from?" asked Cirie.

Annie answered, "I'm from the Kalos Region."

"Wow, how is Kalos?" asked Cirie. "I never been there before."

Annie answered, "It's a really nice place. We have the Prism Tower in Lumiose City and Lumiose City itself has a lot of sights to see. There are many shops and restaurants. My mom always take me there where I was very young."

Annie started to cry.

"What's wrong?" questioned Cirie.

"Sorry," said Annie. "I started to think about my mother in Kalos."

Cirie puts down her plate and walked over to Annie. She gave her a hug.

"Don't worry," said Cirie. "Annie, I have a question. Why did you leave home and come all the way to the Hoenn Region in the first place?"

"To find my father," said Annie. Annie began to grow more emotional and began to breathe hard as well. Cirie pats her back to comfort her.

"Cirie, n-now, tha-that we ar-re traa-velling together, I'll te-tell you this," said Annie in an emotional state. "m-m-my fa-father le-left home eleven y-years ag-go and n-never returned."

Annie continue to sob harder and was having difficulty pronouncing the words.

"So-sorry, I...," said Annie.

"No that's ok," said Cirie. Cirie hugged Annie like a little sister. "If it is too difficult, then it's ok. I'm sorry to hear that and I'll promise to help you reunite with your father."

Cirie comforts Annie come more.

"If you need to cry it out to feel better, then do it," said Cirie.

Fennekin got onto Annie's lap and Plusle hugged her leg for support. After a while, Dillon returned. Annie and Cirie were finishing their meals.

"Hey everyone," said Dillon.

"Dillon, you're finally back," asked Annie.

Cirie added, "What took you so long?"

"I was just doing some training with my Tyrogue and Minun," said Dillon. "I smell something good."

"Why yes," said Cirie. "but it's not for your."

Dillon frowned a little.

"Just kidding," teased Cirie. "We saved some for the three of you."

"We actually saved a lot," added Annie. "You guys look like you eat a lot."

"Thanks guys," said Dillon.

The boys joined and chowed down on the stew.

After Dillon finished, Cirie dowsed out the fire. The crew pitched up their tents and rolled out their sleeping bags.

"Wow Annie," said Cirie. "You brought a tent on your journey. Can I share with you? I usually just lay out my sleeping bag."

Annie said excitedly, "Of course!"

Dillon sarcastically added, "Well I guess there's no room for me. I will sleep outside."

"We didn't ask you," said Cirie.

The two girls laughed.

"Very funny," said Dillon.

Before the girls slept, Cirie told Annie, "Annie, Thank you for telling me your story. I'm sure it took a some bravery to reveal that. But don't worry, we will help you find your father."

"Thank you, Cirie," said Annie, feeling a sisterly bond with her.

In the following morning, Cirie woke up early to cook to cook pancakes on her camping stove. Soon after, everyone else woke up and ate breakfast. Tyrogue was a fast eater compared to his trainer, who did not finish his breakfast as quickly. After he finished, Tyrogue finished and was eager to start training. Dillon took Tyrogue to do some one on one training. Annie and Cirie stayed behind at camp.

"See ya guys," said Dillon.

The girls waved goodbye and started to clean up the campsite. Annie washed the dishes while Cirie was packing up her stove

Cirie asked, "Annie, let's start washing the dishes. Can you and Makit go and find some water?"

Annie said, "Ok."

Cirie explained, "Well, I do know during Contests, coordinators start off their appeals with their Pokémon performing an act. What kind of act do have with Fennekin or Plusle?"

Meanwhile, Dillon and Tyrogue stumbled upon a small waterfall in the middle of the woods.

"Tyrogue, let's do some training under the waterfall," said Dillon. "Let's sit on that rock under the falls."

Dillon removed his shirt and sat under the falls with Tyrogue to do some meditation. Tyrogue could not sit still for long.

"Have patience bud," said Dillon. "Just free your thoughts and listen to your surrounding."

After training under the falls, Dillon had Tyrogue practice his arm moves again.

"Tyrogue, I see there are plenty of rocks nearby. Let's use them as our targets," said Dillon.

Tyrogue crossed his arms and launched at nearby rocks. His arms became stronger with each and every single hit.

Dillon also told Tyrogue to climb to the top of the falls and jump down head first at the rocks.

"Now I want you to climb to the top of the falls and leap down to the rock. I also want you to put your energy toward your forearms when you dive down," said Dillon. "Focus on your target and smash into it with your arms."

Tyrogue climbed up to the top of the waterfall and jumped down head first repeatedly. At first, he was able to create a small dent on the rock. After multiple trials, his arms shined and created a large dent on the rock. Dillon and Tyrogue were perplexed on what just happened. Dillon pulled out his Pokédex and saw that Tyrogue learned a new move.

"Tyrogue, that was a Brick Break attack," said Dillon happily.

Tyrogue saw a large smile across his trainer's face and was happy he was able to please his trainer.

"See, look what some simple training can do," said a cheerful Dillon. "Now let's see that Brick Break attack one more time."

Tyrogue's right arm shined and he smashed his hand on a large rock nearby breaking it in half.

Meanwhile back at camp, it was around noon. Annie and Cirie were just chilling around. Annie was asking Cirie about her travels.

Cirie said, "I didn't really heed to Nurse Joy's warning on Dark Cave and didn't bring a flashlight. It was pitched dark inside. Suddenly, I heard a sound that echoed through the walls of the cave. All of sudden, I started running. Oh, I also wet my pants. It was so embarrassing, but at least it was dark. I kept running and running not knowing what to expect. Expect the unexpected. Then..."

"Then?" said an interested and spooked Annie.

"... I stepped on something rugged. I didn't know what it was until a Graveler popped up in front of my face. I screamed for my life and ran in the opposite direction. I can hear it chasing me from behind. It was a good thing I had good endurance. I kept running until I couldn't hear any footsteps behind me anymore."

"How did you get out?" asked Annie.

Cirie explained, "Well, after that incident. I just kept walking and suddenly from under my feet, a Dugtrio popped out and carried me for some distance. When it stopped carrying me, I fell. All a sudden, I looked up and saw a small light source in the distance so I ran towards it. The light source was getting brighter and brighter and I soon knew that was an exit. So, that was my adventure in the Dark Cave."

"You had some scary adventures," said Annie.

"Yeah, but they were exhilarating and fun now I'm looking back," said Cirie. "Oh, let me tell you about the time DJ Mary interviewed me. It was so hilarious."

Meanwhile, Tyrogue was still training his newly learned Brick Break attack. Dillon also was training Minun on his speed and use his moves as a way to defend against opponents.

"Tyrogue, use Brick Break at Minun," said Dillon.

Tyrogue launched a Brick Break attack at his training partner.

Dillon commanded, "Minun, use Swift attack!"

Minun launched multiple stars at Tyrogue preventing Tyrogue from hitting.

"You guys are doing a good job attacking and dodging the other's moves," said Dillon. "Now I want you to practice dodging and also be agile enough to attack. Minun use Swift Attack while Tyrogue comes in with a Brick Break. Then, Tyrogue, you dodge Minun's attack and the leap behind and attack."

Minun and Tyrogue played out Dillon's training scenario. Tyrogue wasn't fast enough to dodge for the first few times, but continued to practice. After Tyrogue got it down, Dillon swapped their roles.

"Now I want Tyrogue to launch forward with a brick break," said Dillon. "Minun, you dodge it and use a spark attack."

After a few more practicing, Dillon told his Pokémon to go head on towards each other.

"Tyrogue, I want you to use Brick Break and Minun, I want you to intercept with Thunder Punch," said Dillon.

Both Pokémon intercepted their attacks and tried to push the other down. The three of them continued to practice throughout the day.

After a long day of training, it was getting dark. The crew decided to set up camp again and ate hot dogs for dinner. The scent of the hot dogs wafted throughout the grass and attracted an unwanted customer. All of a sudden, there was a hissing sound.

"What was that?" said a spooked Annie.

Dillon replied, "I bet you that's the Seviper. It's still around watching us. Tyrogue, ready to confront our foe?"

Tyrogue got up from his plate and was ready. Tyrogue heard another hiss coming from his right and glanced in that direction.

"You think it's there," said Dillon.

Tyrogue nodded and waited. Suddenly, Seviper launched out of the bushes appearing ready for battle.

"It's that Seviper from before," shrieked Annie

"Tyrogue, we'll show that Seviper what we learned," said Dillon.

This time, Seviper launched the first attack. Seviper lunged toward Tyrogue showing its fangs attempting to use a Bite attack.

"Dodge it," said Dillon.

Tyrogue was able to avoid the bite attack by jumping into the air.

"Now, use Brick Break," said Dillon.

Tyrogue jumped down head first with his hands in front. His right arm shined brightly and exuded concentrated energy. He smashed onto Seviper's head causing damage.

"Wow, that Brick Break was sure powerful," said Cirie.

But Seviper was not down yet. Its tail shined purple and swung towards Tyrogue preparing to launch a Poison Tail attack.

"Dodge," commanded Dillon.

"Wow, Tyrogue is more agile now," said Cirie.

Tyrogue was able to dodge the attack, and Seviper became frustrated.

"Now leap into the air and use a Low Kick," said Dillon.

Tyrogue leaped into the air and dove foot first at Seviper. Tyrogue landed the attack on his head again causing him to fall to the ground.

"Now, finish with a Tackle," said Dillon eagerly.

Tyrogue slammed into Seviper, causing it to slump over in pain. Dillon threw out a Pokéball at Seviper, and it went inside. The Pokéball flashed red and moved around a bit. After a while, the red light disappeared.

"Yes, I caught a Seviper!" said Dillon.

Annie said, "Congratulations Dillon!"

"Thanks Annie," said Dillon happilly.

"Looks like you have a strong additional team member," said Cirie.

Dillon let out Seviper.

"Seviper, from now on you will be part of our team," said Dillon.

When Seviper saw Tyrogue, he snarled at him. Tyrogue didn't back down and the two stared at each other like they are preparing to battle. Dillon stepped in between them to stop the fight.

Dillon said, "Look we are now a team and we must learn to work together."

Tyrogue and Seviper turned their heads the other way at the same time.

"Looks like there's some sort of rivalry between the two," said Annie.

Cirie added, "You sure got a handful on your plate now."

"Yeah, what am I going to do with you two. You two just need to learn how to get along," said Dillon.

After Dillon caught Seviper, the trio decided to call it night and prepare to sleep. Meanwhile, in a field far away, Randy was sitting by the fire and pondered.

"How could I have lost to him? I came back to the Hoenn Region hoping that I have made some progress, but it seems like there is always someone a step forward. But just you wait, I will show my true potential. He hasn't seen my true team yet. It was just a test that day. I will not lose to that kid again."

* * *

That's the end of Chapter 5, folks. What did you think of Dillon's new catch? and how will the rivalry between Randy and Dillon play out?

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, and Low Sweep.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, and Wrap

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Will be revealed due time

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, and Bulk Up.


	8. Chapter 6: The Light Stone Rescue!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

A dense fog shrouded the forest and mountains around the Mountain Lighthouse. A young girl with short, red hair wearing a green wind breaker jacket ran toward the lighthouse.

"The fog is rolling in," said Alyssa, who immediately sprung into action.

Alyssa was from a small village who helps tend to the Mountain Lighthouse and the light stone. She was given the task to illuminate a light stone that would clear away the fog and help travelers find their way through the mountain. When she made it to the top, she realized the light stone was missing and was shocked. She ran back to tell her grandfather, the village chief.

"Grandpa!" said Alyssa shouted urgently. "The light stone is missing!"

"What?!," her grandpa said shockingly. "You must go and find it."

Alyssa answered, "Yes, I will do that immediately."

She rushed to the mountains to ensure no one would be in potential danger to find it.

Meanwhile, Annie, Cirie, and Dillon wandered through a foggy mountain trail.

"This fog is so dense," Dillon said. "We have to be careful while we're walking."

"The map says the Mountain Lighthouse nearby can guide us the way to Mauville City," Cirie informed her friends. "But I don't see any light around the area."

"The Mountain Lighthouse?" Annie asked.

Cirie answered, "Yes, the Mountain Lighthouse is a very special place. It is home to the legendary light stone which is lights up when charged by a Pokémon's electricity. I read about it in a book."

Dillon was impressed. "Wow, sounds like a big deal."

Cirie took out a map and a GPS, then frowned. "Dang it. The GPS is not receiving any signal in this area."

"The mountains are probably interfering with the signal."

Annie worriedly said, "What are we going to do?"

Annie, Dillon, and Cirie continued to walk through the dense fog not knowing what lies beyond their sight.

"No need to worry," Cirie said optimistically. "This calls for an adventure! Follow me guys! I'll get us out of this fog."

Cirie walked ahead.

"Dillon, does Cirie really know the way?" Annie asked.

"She does seem confident about it and I don't have any ideas, so let's go."

Annie and Dillon caught up to Cirie. Cirie was a fast walker. The three walked for a while with Cirie leading the way. After a while, Cirie stopped.

"Hold on," Cirie said.

Annie sighed. "What now?"

"Look down. The path seems to be getting narrower here."

"You're right," Dillon said with a nod.

"I think we're approaching a cliff."

"What do you propose we do."

Cirie thought for a moment. "I have no clue."

Annie and Dillon groaned.

"Well, since we can't figure it out, why don't we set up camp?" Cirie suggested. "We should probably wait for the fog to clear up."

Dillon said, "I agree. Otherwise we'll just get more and more lost."

Somewhere nearby, Alyssa searched for the light stone.

"What am I going to do?" I can't believe it is lost again."

Meanwhile, the group was resting at camp.

"Ack," said Cirie. "We're out of water. I guess I have to go and find some more."

"Are you sure?" said Annie. "It is dangerous."

"Don't worry. I have a flashlight and been in must worst conditions than this."

Dillon answered, "Ok, be safe."

Cirie walked through the thick fog, but her flashlight was not helping much. Based on her past experiences in low visibility conditions, she tied red ribbons on trees to mark her path to avoid getting lost and listened for a water source. After a few minutes, she stumbled upon a river.

"Finally."

Cirie tested the water to see if it was fresh and then filled three water canteens. When she filled up her last canteen, she headed back to camp and followed her marked path of strings. All of a sudden, she heard two voices.

"When is this ridiculous fog going to go away anyways?"

"Don't ask me. I'm not the weather man."

Cirie then encountered two suspicious men wearing black sweaters and sweatpants. The two men and Cirie exchanged glances. Then, she recognized the object the thief standing in the front was carrying. It was an oval shaped stone, gray in color.

"Thieves!" Cirie cried. "That's the light stone that belongs to the light house!"

"What do you know?" the first thief retorted.

His accomplice added, "And what you're going to do about it?"

Both of them laughed.

"I'll show you two," Cirie said, frustrated by their arrogance. "Makit, let's teach these thieves a lesson."

"Go, Geodude," the first thief shouted

The second thief took out his Pokéball. "Loudred, I'll choose you."

"Hey, two against one is not fair," Cirie protested.

The second thief retorted, "Are you going to cry about it?"

"Who's crying," Cirie scoffed. "Two on one it is."

The first thief said, "Prepare to get crushed!"

"Makit, use Arm Thrust at Geodude!" Cirie shouted.

Makit quickly hit Geodude multiple times with his strong arms. The Rock type fainted from the super effective move.

"That was easy."

The first thief growled to his companion,"You better take her down."

The second thief nodded, "Loudred, use Hyper Voice."

Loudred released multiple sound waves at Makit. Makit took some damaged, but was able to continue.

Cirie commanded, "Good job Makit. Use Arm Thrust at Loudred!"

Although the Arm Thrust was also super effectve against Loudred, the Normal type didn't faint.

" _His Loudred is pretty strong_ ," she thought.

While they were battling, Alyssa peered through the bushes. She noticed the light stone in the hands of the thief standing to the side of the battle.

"Loudred, use Tackle!"

Loudred ran towards Makit.

"Dodge it Makit. And use Vital Throw."

Makit dodged his opponent at the last minute and tackled him from behind. Then, Makit grabbed his opponent and threw it towards the ground. Loudred was not able to recover from the damage and fainted. The thieves became scared and attempted to make a run for it.

Cirie stepped forward, "Stop right there! Makit, use Tackle."

Makit slammed into them, causing them to fall and drop the light stone. Makit grabbed the precious item and gave it to his Trainer.

"Thanks Makit," Cirie prasied. The she turned to the criminals. "Now for you two. I'll wait until Officer Jenny arrives to arrest you."

Makit sat on top of the thieves to prevent them from escaping. The thieves begged Cirie for mercy; however, Cirie was not going to let them go.

The first thief said, "Please, ma'am! We promise to do good from now on."

"Yes, we promise," his companion nodded in agreement.

"Like I'm going to believe what you say," Cirie said. "Do you two think I'm a naive ten year old? Enough, now to get this back to the light house."

"You can give it to me."

Cirie noticed Alyssa coming from the bushes nearby.

"Hi, my name is Alyssa and I'm the protector of the lighthouse and the light stone."

Cirie was suspicious. "How do I know you're really the owner?"

The lightkeeper gave the Trainer a smile. "I can take you the lighthouse."

Cirie was hesistant at first, but agreed to follow the stranger.

"Makit, come along and make sure those two don't escape."

As they traveled to the lighthouse, with Makuhita dragging the man, Alyssa said, "Thank you for retrieving the light stone from those thieves. That light stone and the Mountain lighthouse are very special to our village. In addition, it helps travelers find their way through the mountains."

"Ahh, that's why my friends and I didn't see the light from the lighthoure through the fog. It's because these rotten idiots stole it."

After a few minutes, Alyssa announced, "Well, here we are."

The Mountain Lighthouse was made out of brick and towered over the trees in the surrounding area. Cirie saw a village in the distance. The thick fog made the lighthouse appear dark.

Cirie said, "That does look like the pictures in the book. You can have the light stone back."

Alyssa was relieved. "Thank you so much."

The girls went to the top of the lighthouse while Makit and the thieves stayed on the ground floor.

"Magnemite, I choose you," Alyssa said. "Use Spark on the light stone."

The light stone glowed brightly, its light cutting through the thick fog.

"Can I treat you to a meal?" asked Alyssa. "I'm sure my grandfather would love to thank you as well."

"Thanks, I would like to invite my friends if that's okay."

"Yes, the more the merrier."

"Great, I'll drop these two idiots off at the village."

After Cirie dropped off the two thieves at the village, she went back to her friends. It was quite a long way, but her photographic memory and her red ribbons helped her find her way back to her friends.

* * *

Meanwhile at camp, there was still a dense fog, but Annie and Dillon can see the surrounding area and each other clearly. Dillon checked his Pokédex to analyze Seviper's moves.

"Seviper's moves are Haze, Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Glare, and Iron Tail."

Annie asked, "Looking up Seviper's moves?"

"Yep. Trying to see what strategy I can come up with. So, Annie, are you planning on doing any contest training with your Pokémon?"

"Probably," said Annie. "But I'm not sure how to get started. I think Plusle loves to perform."

"We can start with that," said Dillon. "I think you should familiarize yourself with Plusle's attacks."

Annie sent out Plusle and analyzed Plusle's moves on her Pokédex. Plusle knew Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift.

She recalled her time in Slateport City. "I read in the Slateport Library that Coordinators can use a combination of moves during a Contest to enhance the appeal."

Dillon nodded. "That's good that you did research. Now, you should experiment with those moves to see which moves make a good combination."

Annie was excited to start her training session. "Plusle, let's do some contest training!"

Plusle excitedly somersaulted in the air. Annie and Dillon were surprised to see Plusle's natural talent.

"That'll sure win some points," said Dillon.

Suddenly, Dillon saw a bright light shining in the sky through the fog. He saw a towering figure at the light.

"That must be the Mountain Lighthouse Cirie mentioned."

"You're right, Dillon. I wonder where Cirie is and if she's okay."

"She told us to wait here so let's wait a while more. Why don't you continue training?"

Annie continued training with Plusle. She also noticed a cliff nearby.

"I can see much better now that the fog disappeared. Wait?! We're near a cliff."

"Cirie was right before. Man, She is really good at sensing these things."

"Now Plusle, try a Electro Ball attack."

Plusle released a ball of electricity from her tail.

"Why don't you do a somersault first and then throw the Electro Ball."

Plusle did what her Trainer suggested. She did a somersault in the air and actually released multiple Electro Balls which collided into each other in mid air.

"That's it!" Annie said excitedly.

While Annie was training with Plusle, Dillon sent out his Seviper.

"Seviper, let's do some training. I noticed you are really agile with your tail during the battles we had before."

Dillon took out a baseball from his backpack.

"I'm going to throw this baseball at you and I want you to bit it back at me with your tail."

Dillon prepared to throw and Seviper became focused. Dillon threw the ball at Seviper. The Poison type swung his tail at the ball and sent it back to his trainer. The teen jumped into the air and caught it.

"Nice! Now, let's do it again. Let's continue this to perfect your accuracy. Also, put some strength in hitting it."

The two repeated the exercise.

* * *

Cirie approached her friends. "Hey guys! I'm back."

"What took you so long," Dillon asked.

"Sorry, I came across some thieves who stole the light stone from the nearby lighthouse. I defeated them and brought the light stone back."

Annie said, "Oh, you had an adventure. Glad to see you're okay."

"I'm more than ok. I got invited to a party by the protectors of the lighthouse and you're invited."

Annie, Dillon, and Cirie make their way to the village near the Mountain Lighthouse. The light from the tall building shined brightly in the night sky. The group followed the light. Once they got there, the villagers welcomed the trio with a feast.

"Please eat as much as you want," said Alyssa's grandfather.

"Thank you so much," they said at the same time.

There was mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, mixed vegetable, berries, and a large part of stew freshly prepared by the villagers as a way to thank Cirie. There was also food for the Pokémon and Tyrogue, Minun, Seviper, Fennekin, Plusle, and Makit were enjoying the meal.

As they were eating, Cirie asked. "Alyssa, what's the history behind the light stone?"

"Long ago, thunder storms and wildfires spread throughout our village. When all hope was lost, a blue robed hero accompanied by am Electric Pokémon bestowed the light stone to our village. When the village is in danger, the hero will return. The light stone has greatly changed the weather in our village, calming the skies, and providing light. Our ancestors built the lighthouse as a monument to worship and protect the stone and it is up to us to continue the tradition. Nowadays, our lighthouse not only serve this purpose, but serve to help the many travelers cutting through this mountain. Well at least that's how grandfather explained it."

"You're on the spot, my dear," he replied.

Dillon was intrigued by the story, "That sounds like a big deal."

"Yeah," said Alyssa. "This legend has been around for 800 years."

After the feast, the trio stayed at Alyssa's house for the night. The next morning, Alyssa showed the group the way toward Mauville City.

When they approached a well-traveled path, Alyssa said, "Ok, this is as far that I could take you. If you follow this road, it will take you to Mauville City."

Cirie bowed, "Thank you so much for hosting."

Dillon added, "You have been such a help for us."

"Thank you," Annie added.

"It was my pleasure," Alyssa said with a smile. "Thank you for finding the light stone, Cirie. Good luck on your journey."

* * *

That's it for Chapter 6. Let's recap! What do you think of Cirie? Adventurous? Bold? Confident? How do you think Annie will do as a coordinator? Does she even have potential?

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, and Low Sweep.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, and Glare

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.


	9. Chapter 7: New Battles, New Rivals

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

Annie, Cirie, and Dillon continued to head towards Mauville City. Along the way, they approached a large shop and a paved bike path elevated above the path.

"Look at that," Cirie said. "That's the famous Cycling Road that leads to Mauville City."

"How long is the road to Mauville?" Dillon asked.

"I think it's an 8 mile bike ride. I haven't ridden on it. Do you two want to go on Cycling Road?"

"I'm fine with biking."

Annie added, "Me, too!"

The trio went to the shop and rented three road bicycles. Annie rented a red one, Dillon rented a blue one, and Cirie rented a green one. After getting the bikes, they headed onto the elevated structure.

Cirie cheerfully said, "This is great! I love feeling the wind blowing through my hair."

"Looks like there's a steep climb ahead," Dillon noted. "Make sure to change those gears."

The trio arrived in Mauville City via Cycling Road. It took them four hours to arrive at the opposite gate in Mauville City. They returned the bikes to the cycling shop and Dillon took a map of Mauville City from a brochure rack and browsed through it with his friends.

Cirie pointed to a purple building on the map. "Hey look, Mauville's famous Game Corner. I have to try my luck with that."

"There's also so many places to shop here," Annie cheerfully noted. "I'm can buy some things for Fennekin and Plusle."

"Look, a Battle Club," said Cirie. "You should train there before your Gym battle, Dillon."

Dillon responded, "I think I will. Thanks for the suggestion, Cirie."

"I'll head over to the Game Corner, but I'll meet up with you guys at the Pokémon Center later tonight," Cirie said.

"Dillon nodded, "Ok, have fun, Want to come with me, Annie?"

"Sure. I'll go shopping some other time."

"Looks like the facility is at the center of town near the Pokémon Center. Look, the Pokémon Center is located here on the map and the Battle Club facility is two blocks east."

"Which means we go directly north."

Annie and Dillon walked to the Battle Club. When they arrived, they saw a fairly large facility.

"It's huge!" Annie noted.

"Yeah, looks pretty new as well. Let's go in."

When they walked in the front entrance, a large man walked towards them.

He said, "Hi, my name is Don George and I'm the owner of the Battle Club Facility. This facility was built to help trainers train their Pokémon. We have battlefields, exercise equipment, and also a dining hall for trainers and Pokémon to recharge their batteries."

"Thank you for the introduction, sir." Dillon said.

"If you want to battle other trainers, feel free to browse through the Bulletin Board on these computers. Trainers can post their teams and request what kind of Pokémon they want to challenge. It's a good way to make friends and rivals as well."

"Alright, I'll do that. Thanks for the help."

"I'll leave the both of you to decide."

Annie said, "Thanks Don George."

Dillon browsed through the bulletin boards.

"Wow, there are a lot trainers. How do I choose which one to battle against? ... Oh this Trainer wants to battle Poison-type Pokémon. His name is James. I think I'll respond to his request. Seviper could use some training."

Dillon accepted the Trainer's challenge. Meanwhile, James was walking along the city streets. He has red hair and wore a black hoodie with blue jeans. He was a twelve year old boy from Littleroot Town. He currently has two Gym Badges and wanted a challenge before he left for the next city.

Suddenly, he received a message from the Battle Club.

"Oh, a request."

James quickly headed to the Battle Club. He walked into the lobby and talked to the staff attendant.

"Hi," said James. "I got a message about a trainer accepting my challenge request."

"Why yes," the staff attendant replied with a smile. "He is sitting right over there." She pointed to Dillon and Annie, who were sitting on a nearby bench.

After thanking the attendant, James walked over Dillon.

"Hi, my name is James."

Dillon stood up and the shook hands.

"My name is Dillon."

Annie added, "I'm Annie, nice to meet you."

"Please to meet you both. James then smiled at his opponent. "So Dillon, ready to battle?"

"You bet I am."

Dillon and James walked to a battlefield in the Battle Club. The field was indoors. The room was large like a auditorium and had no windows. Don George approached them as the judge. A few other Trainers along with Annie observed the battle on the sidelines. The two Trainers let out their Pokémon, who were ready to battle.

Don George announced the rules, "This will be a one-on-one battle between Dillon and his Seviper and James and his Combusken. Let the battle begin."

"Combusken, use Quick Attack!" James commanded.

Combusken ran quickly towards Seviper and tackled him.

"Your Combusken sure is fast." Dillon complimented.

"Thanks. Combusken, use Fire Spin!"

Combusken released a spiral of flames from its mouth.

"Slide under the flames," Dillon countered.

Seviper slid under the flames toward Combusken.

"Now, Glare!"

Seviper stood up on his tail and glared at his opponent. Combusken was frozen with fear and became paralyzed.

Dillon smiked, "Quick, use Poison Tail!"

Seviper's tail glowed purple and agilely swung his tail into the Fire type's right shoulder causing him to be pushed back. Combusken winced and clutched his shoulder.

"Stay strong Combusken," James encouraged. "Use Double Kick!"

Combusken launched forward right foot first at Seviper.

"Use Haze!"

Seviper released a Haze attack from his mouth and the Haze covered up entire battlefield. Combusken could not see and became confused. He stood still waiting on James to call out a move.

James thought, " _We need to wait until the Haze clear up._ "

"Use Poison Tail!"

Seviper slammed a Poison Tail attack on Combusken's right shoulder. The haze cleared up.

Dillon didn't waste any time. "Quickly before it recover, use Wrap."

Seviper wrapped his tail around Combusken's body and squeezed him tightly. Combusken tried to break free, but the attack rendered him immobile. James did not know what to do.

"Finish with Bite attack!"

Seviper bit down hard on Combusken's neck; the latter fell to the ground and fainted.

Don George declared, "Combusken is unable to battle. This victory goes to Dillon and Seviper."

After he returned Combusken, James said, "Thanks Dillon. I learned a lot from our battle. That haze attack caught me by surprise. I hope we can meet again someday."

"You bet," Dillon replied with a smile. I can't wait until our next battle."

The small crowd cheered for the two challengers as they shook hands. In the crowd, a school boy named Ethan watched with excitement. Ethan was a ten year old boy from Verdenturf Town and was collecting Gym Badges for the Hoenn League. He was amazed with Dillon's strategy and decided to experience first hand.

"Congrats Dillon," Annie happily said as the crowd started to disperse.

"Um, excuse me Dillon."

Dillon noticed Ethan approaching.

"I just wanted to say I am very impressed with your battle. You didn't just rely on your Pokémon's moves, you also had a strategy to maneuver through your opponent's moves and strike at the right time."

"Thanks," Dillon replied, happy to receive so many compliments.

"Can you have a battle with me?"

"Sure."

Don George saw this and stayed in the referee's Box, "Looks like you've become the Trainer to beat. I'll be the judge again."

Dillon stayed on his side while Ethan took Jame's place.

"This battle between challengers Dillon and Ethan will now begin!" Don George announced. "After you choose your Pokémon, Ethan will have the first move."

Dillon threw out a Pokéball, "Tyrogue, I choose you!"

Ethan responded, "Ralts, c'mon out!" He thought, " _Tyrogue is a fighting type so I got the advantage._ "

"Ralts, use Confusion on Tyrogue!" Ethan cmmanded.

Ralts' eyes glowed blue, and a blue light surrounded Tyrogue's body. Ralts controlled Tyrogue for a while and threw him onto the ground, causing major damage.

"Tyrogue, focus," Dillon reassured, despite knowing the battle was not starting out well. "Use Brick Brick."

Tyrogue charged up to Ralts as his arms glowed white. However, Ralts dodged the move.

"Use Double Team!"

Ralts created illusory copies of itself, which encircled the confused Tyrogue.

"Tyrogue, I want you to focus. Remember the training we did under the waterfalls."

Dillon and Tyrogue focused on the multiple copies and their eyes sifted back and forth.

After a few seconds, Dillon said, "Low Sweep to your right."

Tyrogue extended his right foot out and caused the real Ralts fall.

Ethan was stunned. " _How could he have tell? But he regained his composure. "_ Ralts, use Confusion again!"

Ralts controlled Tyrogue and slammed him onto the ground once more with its psychic energy. This time, Tyrogue was dazed when he got up.

Dillon realized his Pokémon was confused. "You can snap out of it, bud. I believe in you."

Dillon's words were unable to reach him as the Fighting type banged his head on the ground. Dillon was heartbroken seeing his best friend suffer. Even Annie on the side lines and Ethan saw the emotional stress between the two.

"Tyrogue," Dilon emphatically called. "Please stop hurting yourself. !t's okay if we don't win! I only want you to be okay..."

"Ralts, let's finish this! Use Confusion!"

When he heard his Trainer's heartfelt words, Tyrogue regained his senses and snapped out of confusion and stood up.

"Tyrogue! You did it!"

But Ralts's confusion hits again. The Fighting-type rested on one knee and was exhausted, but did not want to give up. With determination, he got up and prepared for battle.

Ethan was even more stunned. " _How is Tyrogue still able to battle?_ "

"Let's finish this. Run around Ralts." Dillon said with confidence.

"Ethan, we'll show you our strategy."

Tyrogue ran fast around Ralts despite his exhausted state, confusing Ethan and Ralts.

"Use Tackle!"

Tyrogue ran around in circles around his opponent and then extended his right foot and tripped the green Pokémon. The scuffle Pokémon then launched a Brick Break attack.

"Finish with a Tackle."

Tyrogue slammed into the Psychic type, who fainted after impact.

Don George said, "Ralts is unable to battle! This match goes to Dillon and Tyrogue."

Ethan collapsed onto his knees, shocked by the result. "How could this happen... I had the advantage."

Dillon walked over to Tyrogue.

"Buddy, we did it! See what happens when we work as a team?"

Tyrogue nodded his head. Ethan returned Ralts into his Pokéball and walked over to Dillon.

"Dillon, you caught me off guard. It shows I have much more to learn.

"You definitely gave me a run for my money. It wasn't an easy battle. Right, Tyrogue?" Tyrogue nodded. "Let's have a battle again the next time we see each other."

"Does that mean we're rivals?"

Dillon smiled and nodded his head.

Ethan was a little shocked then happily responded, "Yes, Thank you! You have taught me a lot. I will be sure to use what I learn to become even stronger. Oh yeah, Dillon, are you going to challenge the Mauville gym battle?"

"Yes, I am."

"The Gym Leader's tough! His name is Wattson and he uses Electric-type Pokémon. I battled against him, but lost. I know you can beat him though after seeing you in action, Dillon! See you around."

Ethan left the battlefield arena, and Annie walked over to Dillon.

"Dillon, you did so well! You won two matches today."

"Thank you Annie. I couldn't have done it without Tyrogue and Seviper."

As Annie, Dillon, and Tyrogue rejoiced over the win, Dillon was preocupied by one thing - his upcoming Gym Battle.

* * *

That's it for Chapter 7! Will next chapter be the gym challenge? And How do you think Cirie is doing at the game corner?

What do you think of Dillon's two new rivals? We will go through a personal transformation for one of them. Guess who? :)

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it! Hope you guys enjoy reading it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, and Low Sweep.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, and Glare

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.


	10. Chapter 8, Part a: Gathering the Four

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

Also, I will include the english translation to a Chinese song in this chapter. The song is called "When" from the chinese drama My Fair Princess 还珠格格. The song's artist is Power Station - a taiwanese band. I don't own the song. I really like the song and drama. here is a youtube link to the song with english translation if you want to hear how it sounds. watch?v=JUyPxYBP-fM

* * *

Hey all, thanks for reading up to this point! Thank you so much! I really appreciated!

Alright, this chapter will be split into two parts. One about our fourth protagonist and the second on our main protagonist, Dillon. Let's begin!

* * *

"What a day!" Cirie said happilly as she walked into Pokémon Center Hall carrying bags of souvenirs.

Annie and Dillon were at the Mauville Pokémon Center Dining Hall eating dinner. The dining hall was similar to a buffet. Cirie saw her friends sitting at a booth and walked over.

"Hey guys!"

Dillon said, "Hey Cirie! How's the game corner?"

Annie added, "Did you win anything?"

"I sure did! I won five hundred dollars and bought a Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip doll. I also bought a pair of hoop earrings from a shop I saw on my way here."

"Why don't you grab a plate first?" Dillon suggested.

"Good idea! I'm hungry."

Cirie went to grab her food and joined her friends.

"I bought the dolls for all three of us. Dillon, I know you're a guy and probably don't play with dolls, but I was hoping these dolls can resemble our friendship," Cirie said.

"That's nice of you," Annie said.

Dillon added, "Works for me. Thanks!"

Annie looked at the dolls and said, "I'll choose Torchic."

"I'll choose Treecko," Dillon said.

"Great!" Cirie said.

The three friends finished up their meals and went to bed. Cirie went to shower. While she was showering, Annie was talking to Nurse Joy at the front desk.

"Nurse Joy, do you know my father Lucas?"

Annie showed Nurse Joy the photo of her father.

"I do not know him. Are you meeting up with him here?"

"No, I'm trying to find him. Can you let me know if you meet him?"

"Yes, I can make a copy of your photo and post it on our bulletin boards."

"Thank you very much."

Nurse Joy made a copy of the photo and gave it back to Annie.

"Thank you Nurse Joy. Good night!"

"Good night."

Annie went back to the room. There were two bunk beds. Annie approached the table and sat down. She took out her diary.

 _Father, where are you? I miss you so much. How long will this journey take? Dillon and Cirie have been so nice to me. I'm lucky and grateful they decided to walk this journey with me even though they have their own goals. Father, are they sent to me to help me find you?_

Cirie walked inside wearing a purple night gown and a towel wrapped around her head.

Cirie asked, "Annie, you still haven't showered?"

"Oh, hey Cirie," Annie answered.

Cirie walked over to Annie and sat on the bed.

"What are you thinking about?"

"My father."

Cirie saw the worried look on her friend's face. Annie started to cry and she fell to her knees. She rested her head on Cirie's lap. Cirie comforts her sobbing friend.

"There, there, if you need to cry, cry it out. Cry it out and you will feel better."

Annie cried harder as she missed her father dearly. Dillon walked in wearing a t-shirt and shorts along with a towel around his neck. He walked over to the chair and placed his hand on Annie's back to comfort her.

* * *

The next morning, the group was eating breakfast at the dining hall. They were watching TV as they were eating their meal.

The announcer on tv broadcasted, " _Folks, this battle is coming down to the wire. According to the score board, it looks like our challenger, Elite Four member Blue, is in the lead with three Pokémon remaining with one remaining for our reigning champion. Will Blue defeat Champion Wallace and take the title as Champion Master?!_ "

"This sure is an intense battle," Cirie said.

"You have done well, Blue," Champion Wallace praised. "To think, I'm using my last Pokémon. But this won't be easy. Milotic, use Recover."

A bright light shined and sparkled throughout the tender Pokémon's body. Milotic became healed from her wounds.

Annie said, "Milotic is so beautiful."

"Use Iron Tail," the Champion commanded.

Milotic swung her tail at Blue's Atrocious Pokémon and hits.

"Now use, Twister!"

The tender Pokémon was not as tender when she released a vicious twister attack at her opponent.

Blue reacted quickly, "Gyarados, use Hydro Pump and drive it back."

Gyarados released a powerful blast of water to counter the twister. The Hydro Pump and Twister clashed at midway. All of a sudden, the Hydro Pump fused with Twister attack creating a powerful water tornado shocking the entire audience.

"Incredible!" The announcer shouted. "The clash between Hydro Pump and twister created a tornado and with extreme power! This is the type of battle you would expect between two highly skilled trainers!"

"What a move," Dillon said as he becomes engaged with the battle.

"Let's increase the excitement," Blue said. "Use Rain Dance!"

Gyarados summoned rain clouds to form above the battlefield and a powerful down pour fell down. The water tornado kept spinning around through the rain until it stopped.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump," Wallace commanded.

"Counter with your Hydro Pump," Blue reacted.

The two water Pokémon released a powerful blast of water and the two moves clashed mid way again and dissapated. The rain continued to come down hard.

"Now, let's finish this," Blue said. "Twister!"

Gyarados released a powerful Twister toward the middle of the battlefield.

"Whip out a Hurricane!"

A powerful hurricane was created and made the twister become a powerful tornado. The twister continued to spin at the center and kept the entire audience mesmerized.

"What on earth is Blue trying to do?!" the announcer wondered.

" _Now, we have everyone clueless. Gyarados, I believe in you._ "

" _What is he up to?_ " Wallace wondered.

Blue commanded, "Thunder!"

Gyarados sent out a powerful thunder attack from the rain storm and striked at Milotic. The thunder attack caught Milotic and the Champion off guard. Being a water-type, Milotic was dealt a huge blow and became weakened.

"Now, use Brutal Swing to send that Tornado back!"

Gyarados sent out his tail and pushed the powerful tornado towards Milotic. Milotic became trapped within the tornado. After the tornado dissipated, Milotic was left weakened. Her head was held high and collapsed down to the ground.

The battle judge proclaimed, "Milotic is unable to battle!"

"And We have a new champion! Blue has fought a hard battle and is now officially the new champion of Hoenn! Folks, we have witnessed history in the making! Both trainers went all out during this battle! Now since a new champion is crowned, let's proceed to the Crowning ceremony! Please join us at the Crowning ceremony tomorrow as Wallace hands over the title!"

* * *

"Wow, look at that. Hoenn has a new champion," Cirie said.

"That was such an awesome battle. It makes me more and more pumped for this gym badge." Dillon exclaimed.

Dillon got up.

"Where are you going?" Annie asked. "We didn't finish breakfast yet."

"No time for that. I gotta train! See ya guys! I'll be at the Battle Club."

Dillon ran off to the Battle Club.

"But wait."

Cirie added, "Let him go Annie. There's no stopping him from his training. Tell you what, Let's do some shopping. There are a lot of cute stores in Mauville."

"Sure," Annie said excitedly.

"I sure like my hoop earrings." Cirie ran her fingers through her earrings.

Annie and Cirie finished their breakfast and head off to do some shopping around Mauville City. Along the way, they came across a park and heard music playing.

"Is that a violin?" Annie asked.

"It sounds so serene. I think it's in the park." Cirie said. "Let's go check it out."

In the park, a brown-hair young man dressed in a white dress shirt, black slacks, black dressed shoes, and a black vest sat on a bench playing a violin. Annie and Cirie walked over to take in the tune. They were impressed as they listened in silence. When the man was done, Cirie addressed and praised him.

"That was great," Cirie praised.

The man looked up and saw Cirie's face. He stared at her and cannot believe who stands before him. He stared at Cirie and fell in love in first sight. Cirie waved her hand in front of him. Annie could see that he fell in love with Cirie, but Cirie didn't.

"Hello?"

"Oh sorry. Thanks for the praise."

"That was a great music you're playing. Did you write the song?"

"No, I don't have that honor. I learned it."

"What is it called?"

"When."

"Can you sing it?"

"Sure, I'll play it and sing it for you."

* * *

" _When the mountain has no edges and angle,_

 _When the river does not flow,_

 _When time stops making no difference between day and night,_

 _When all things crumble to dust,_

 _I still cannot break up with you,_

 _Cannot break up with you._

 _Your gentle warmth…_

 _is the greatest expectation in my life._

 _When the sun does not rise,_

 _When the earth does not rotate,_

 _When there is no difference between the seasons,_

 _When all the flowers and trees withered,_

 _I still cannot split up with you,_

 _Cannot split up with you._

 _Your smile…_

 _is the greatest reminiscence in my life._

 _Let the secularity go with us, have a stylish life,_

 _Ride horses and share a prosperous world,_

 _Sing with wine and express the joy in our hearts,_

 _Live vigorously and seize the youth._

 _Let the secularity go with us, have a stylish life,_

 _Rise horses and share a prosperous world,_

 _Sing with wine and express the joy in our hearts,_

 _Live vigorously and seize the youth._

Waa… Ah.. Ahh… Ah...

 _When the sun does not rise,_

 _When the earth does not rotate,_

 _When there is no difference between the seasons,_

 _When all the flowers and trees withered,_

 _I still cannot split up with you,_

 _Cannot split up with you._

 _Your smile…_

 _is the greatest reminiscense in my life._

 _Let the secularity go with us, have a stylish life,_

 _Rise horses and share a prosperous world,_

 _Sing with wine and express the joy in our hearts,_

 _Live vigorously and seize the youth._

 _Let the secularity go with us, have a stylish life,_

 _Rise horses and share a prosperous world,_

 _Sing with wine and express the joy in our hearts,_

 _Live vigorously and seize the youth._

Waa… Ah..Ahh… Ah..."

* * *

As the man sings, Annie and Cirie became mesmerized by the music and lyrics.

"Wow, that was so romantic," Annie said.

Cirie added, "I know. You sure have talent."

"I'm flattered," the man said. "I'll dedicate that song to the both of you."

Annie and Cirie were shocked. There was a sudden pause. Annie knew for sure he was in love with Cirie.

Cirie thought, " _Maybe he has feelings for Annie_." She giggled.

Cirie asked, "But Why?"

"I'll dedicate this song to our encounter."

Annie asked, "What is your name? We been talking for a while and did not introduce each other. My name is Annie."

"I'm Cirie."

"Please to meet you two," the man introduced. "My name is Seth."

"Seth, thank you for playing that song for us," Annie said.

Seth said, "Thanks for listening. Say, what are the both of you doing this fine day?"

"We were going to do some shopping around the city. Do you want to join us?" Cirie asked.

"Sure!" Seth packed up his violin and joined the girls.

"So what do you do," Cirie asked while they were walking.

Seth answered, "I'm actually a research assistant for Professor Birch. I'm going to Meteor Falls to collect a Pokémon egg for the professor."

"Wow, so are you striving to become a professor."

"Yes I am. My dream is to become a Pokémon professor just like Professor Birch. I started my Pokémon journey ten years ago as a trainer collecting gym badges. However, after coming in the Top 16 in the Hoenn league, I realized battling was not my thing and all I wanted to do was study about Pokémon so I made the decision to become a Pokémon researcher. I went to Professor Birch's lab and he allowed me to work under him as a field assistant. All I did was collect field data about Pokémon out on the field. I definitely learned a lot about Pokémon and their habitats. After a few years, I'm 20 now. He promoted me to a research assistant and asked me to write field reports. I was ecstatic about becoming promoted. I knew this was one step closer to reaching my goal. Going to Meteor Falls is my next mission, but I decided to stop by Mauville City to do some shopping first for supplies."

"That's an interesting story. I too have a similar story as I was once a trainer, but found a passion for adventures. Now I'm travelling with Annie and another friend of ours to experience new adventures with them."

"Anything you want to experience in particular?"

"No not really. I'm very carefree. I believe life is filled with adventures. You just have to go out there and look for it."

" _She's so cheerful. I love her smile._ "

Seth asked, "I see. How about you, Annie? What are your goals?"

Annie hesitated since she didn't want to reveal her secret yet. Cirie understood by looking at Annie that she wasn't comfortable. She instantly shifted their conversation.

Cirie interrupted, "Oh look! There's a mall and a fairly large one!"

The three of them went inside the mall.

"This mall is so large," Annie said.

Seth informed, "This mall is the largest in Mauville City."

"Look a map!" Cirie points out. "Let's see what kind of stores are there."

"Let's go exploring! I can't wait." Annie eagerly said.

Annie saw pretty bowties at a stand.

"I think these would look good on Fennekin and Plusle."

Cirie said, "You're right. If you want, l can buy it for you."

"Aww thank you Cirie."

" _She's beautiful on the outside and in_." Seth fell in love with Cirie even more.

* * *

Well, that's it for the first part. What do you think of the newest member to the team?

And what about the battling segment between Champion Wallace and Blue?

Oh, And I'm thinking of making the song as the theme song for the next few chapters starting Chapter 9!

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it! Hope you guys enjoy reading it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, and Low Sweep.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, and Glare

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.


	11. Chapter 8, Part b: Fight or Flight?

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

After watching Blue overcoming his greatest adversary to become the Pokémon Champion, Dillon was excited more than ever before to do special training for his upcoming battle at the Mauville gym. As the young teen ran toward the Battle Club Facility, he had no clue that he was being followed. A man in a black suit with sunglasses appeared and followed him.

"We're finally here," Dillon said as he walked inside the facility.

Don George approached and welcomed, "Welcome back Dillon. What will you be working on today?"

"Hi Don George, Today I want to do some special training for my gym battle.

"Well, the Mauville gym specializes in electric-type Pokémon and from what I heard, Wattson uses Magneton, Voltrob, and Manectric. If you have a ground-type Pokémon or a Pokémon that could learn ground-type moves, that would be good. We have a special field outside dedicated for trainers to teach their Pokémon ground-type moves."

"Don George, let me sent out my Pokémon. Go Tyrogue, Minun, and Seviper."

Tyrogue, Minun, and Seviper came out of their Pokéballs. Tyrogue and Seviper are still not fond of each other.

"It seems like your Tyrogue and Seviper don't get along."

"Yeah, these two sure are stubborn."

Minun tried to be a peacemaker by talking to them, but it didn't work.

"Thanks for trying bud. Alright, Don George, can you help assess my Pokémon?"

"Sure, hmm… I think Seviper would be perfect to learn Earthquake attack, Tyrogue should train at the weight training room, and for Minun, what kind of electric-type moves does Minun know?'

"Minun knows Spark and Thunder Punch."

"Hmm, let's teach it Thunderbolt. It is basically a stronger version of Spark."

"Thank you very much for the evaluation."

"You're welcome, let's get you started with Seviper first."

Don George and Dillon was heading outside to the ground-type training field.

Don George instructed, "Alright, let's get Seviper to learn Earthquake. It will be super effective against Voltrob and Manectric. We can train Tyrogue to battle Magneton since Magneton is weak against Fighting types."

"Alright, Seviper. Let's learn Earthquake." Dillon said.

"Ok, usually and earthquake is caused by a Pokémon's weight as it jumps down toward the ground."

"Seviper, try jumping up and smash into the ground."

Seviper jumped up and down, but no earthquake was felt.

"That's ok. You just need to put more force into the jump. Remember, an earthquake splits up the ground. You want to use your power to cause the ground to shake. In some cases, even split the ground. Let me show you an example. Go Golem!"

Don George sent out a Golem.

Don George commanded, "Golem, use Earthquake!"

Golem jumps into the air and lands hard on the ground, making the field shake. Cracks also formed on the field.

"That's powerful," Dillon said. "Seviper, you got that? Let's do another Earthquake."

Seviper nodded his head to his trainer. He jumped towards the air and focus all his energy towards the ground. As he came down, the ground shook slightly.

"Seviper, I think you're getting the hang of it. The ground shook a little. Let's practice some more."

"Also, it is important to build up strength. Why don't you use that cushion wall over there to help Seviper build strength."

There was a cushion wall over at the side of the field. It was used as a tackle target for Pokémon.

"Seviper, run towards the wall with full force."

"And it's important for the trainer to exercise as well."

Don George pushed Dillon toward the wall. Both Dillon and Seviper ran toward the wall. Dillon and Seviper practiced for the next few hours. With more and more practice, Seviper was able to build up strength and master earthquake. Later in the day after lunch, Dillon trained with his Pokémon in the fitness room.

"Alright guys, let's exercise some more. Tyrogue, Minun, let's do push ups and sit ups. Seviper, why don't you use the dumb bells and do curls with your tail. Let's start."

Dillon, Tyrogue, and Minun did sets of push ups and sit ups along with pull ups. The pull up bar could be adjusted based on height constraint. Seviper did curls. As he did them, the poison snake Pokémon admired himself when he looked in the mirror. Tyrogue walked over to Seviper and did arm curls. Both looked seriously at themselves in the mirror and wanted to out do the other. The two rivals did the curls as fast as they could. Dillon and Minun were also doing arm curls, but were not involved in the heated conflict.

"C'mon guys, this is not a competition," Dillon tried to explain.

The four of them continued to so work outs for a hour.

"Alright, now let's head to the battlefield and work on your moves."

Dillon and his Pokémon walked to an empty battlefield at the facility.

"Tyrogue, let's practice those fighting moves. I'll be your challenger. Minun I want you to learn Thunderbolt. Just like spark, but much more powerful."

The cheering Pokémon nodded his head.

"Seviper, I'll bring over some stones. Don George said there are plates of stone we can use to practice. I want you to use Iron Tail to smash them. Tyrogue, you can use them to practice your Brick Break later. Alright, team. Let's start."

Minun practiced Thunderbolt attack and used a Spark attack for starters. The cheering Pokémon attempted to make the electricity stronger into a Thunderbolt attack. Seviper practiced Iron Tail Attack by smashing stone plates. Dillon removed his jacket and fought a hands on combat against Tyrogue.

"That's good Tyrogue," Dillon praised as he blocked Tyrogue's hits. Dillon also launched his fist and kicks while Tyrogue blocked his hits.

After a while of combat, Dillon was sweating and out of breath. He removed his t-shirt due to the sweat.

"Good job, bud! Why don't you practice Brick Brick with the stone plates? Minun, use your Thunderbolt on me. C'mon!"

Minun was confused and didn't want to hurt his trainer, but Dillon insisted.

"What, you scared bud?"

Dillon braced himself. The small blue Pokémon became annoyed and shocked his trainer with a jolt of electricity.

"You call that a Thunderbolt." Dillon teased to get his friend to be pumped.

The four of them practice through the remainder of the day and didn't even realize it was getting dark. Don George came into the battlefield. Tyrogue and Minun were battling against each other.

"You're still practicing."

Dillon noticed the club manager walking in. "Yeah, I am."

"You know it's getting late. It's past dinner time."

"Really? I better head back to my friends at the Pokémon Center."

"Yeah and I must lock up." Don George teased.

"Good job guys. Rest up in your Pokéballs."

Dillon returned his Pokémon into their Pokéballs, put his clothes back on, and grabbed his backpack.

"Thank you Don George. I'll be on my way. Good night."

"Good night Dillon. I know you'll earn your gym badge. I can see the hard work you put into training."

Dillon thanked Don George and walked out of the facility.

"Oh boy, It is getting dark."

"Well, well, well. Please to meet you young master." The man in sunglasses and a black suit appeared.

"Who are you?"

The man removed his sunglasses. Dillon was shocked.

"Sebastian!? Why are you here?"

Sebastian snickered, "How dare you leave home? I'm here to take you back on master's behalf."

All of a sudden, his henchmen appeared. There were five of them.

"Now be a good little boy and come with me."

"I'm not going with you. I worked so hard to escape that hell hole that I will never go back."

"Then, don't blame me for using force."

Sebastian snapped his finger to signal to his henchmen to move forward towards Dillon. The henchmen surrounded Dillon. All of a sudden, Tyrogue sensed his trainer was in trouble and popped out of his Pokéball.

"Tyrogue! Did you come out to help me bud?"

Tyrogue nodded his head while holding a fighting stance.

"I see you still have that pathetic Pokémon."

"We'll show you. Bud, let's fight them."

Dillon, Tyrogue, and the henchmen fought against each other in a hands on combat. However, the henchmen had clubs. Dillon practiced martial arts since he was a young child and is now ranked a black belt. All of a sudden, it started to rain. Everyone was still fighting against each other. Dillon received several hits from the clubs, but with Tyrogue's help, he was able to fight off the dastardly henchmen.

"I will not go home," Dillon yelled as he's fighting in the rain.

As Tyrogue was receiving hits, his body glowed red. When a henchmen was about land another hit, he was blown backwards. Everyone stopped fighting.

"Buddy, was that counter? You learned counter!" Dillon said happily. "Who knew through this turmoil that something good can happen."

The man in sunglasses became frustrated. He ran towards Dillon and yelled, "You're coming with me!"

Tyrogue used counter at the man and blew him backwards toward his henchmen.

"Let's run bud." Dillon and Tyrogue took the oppurtunity to run away.

Laying on the ground, the man watched as Dillon ran away. "I'll get you and when I do, you'll pay for what you did."

After some distance, Dillon fell. He was weak from the fighting. His clothes were soaked. Tyrogue became worried and looked at his trainer. The scuffle Pokémon tried to pump up his trainer.

Dillon was exhausted, "Buddy, this is the first time I saw you with a worried look."

Tyrogue tried to help his trainer up.

"Thanks buddy, I can get up."

Dillon got up and the two friends smiled to each other.

"Let's head back. Race ya."

Dillon and Tyrogue raced back to the Pokémon Center in the rain. They entered to center and walked up to Nurse Joy.

"Oh my, you two are soaking wet!" Nurse Joy said in shock.

Dillon asked, "Nurse Joy, Please look after my Pokémon. Tyrogue, thanks for tonight. Please get some rest."

Dillon returned Tyrogue inside his Pokéball and gave his three Pokéballs to Nurse Joy. Dillon himself went straight to the bathroom to wash up while Annie and Cirie were in the dining hall chatting with Seth.

In the bathroom, Dillon removed all his clothes except his boxers. His body was covered in wounds. Blood dripped from his lip and a bruise surrounded his left eye.

He looked into the mirror, " _So... Dad did this to me._ "

He grabbed his first aid kit from his backpack.

"Those bastards."

As he's treating his wounds, all he thought about was his mom whom he left back home.

* * *

 _Dillon was sitting lamenting in an alleyway with Tyrogue standing by his side. All of a sudden, his mother approached._

 _Dillon's mom said, "Hey Dillon, Look what I have."_

 _"What mom?"_

 _Dillon's mom has a backpack, a set of clothes, and a ticket._

 _"I have here your backpack and a change of clothes. I want you to follow your dreams and go on your journey. I packed everything for you in this backpack. Also, here is a ticket for you to head to Slateport City in the Hoenn Region that leaves in an hour."_

 _"But, mom. What about you? Won't Dad find out?"_

 _"Don't worry about me. I'll figure out what to say. Now take this and head out as quickly as possible before the sun rises."_

 _"Mom, how can I ever thank you?"_

 _"Win the Hoenn League. And don't call me what so ever."_

 _Dillon gave his mom one last hug._

* * *

Dillon is in the bathroom facing down towards the sink. He looked up at the mirror and saw his own reflection. His face had a scar with blood dripping towards the sink. He started to cry.

"Mom."

* * *

That's it for the second part. Will Dillon escape Mauville now knowing he's being hunted down? Will he get that Mauville gym badge or will it have to wait?

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it! Hope you guys enjoy reading it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.


	12. Chapter 9: The Life of a Runaway?

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

Late at night in the Pokémon Center, Annie, Cirie, and Seth were in the dining hall eating dinner. They were enjoying the time eating and telling stories.

"Wow, you sure experienced a lot of adventures," Cirie chuckled.

Annie added, "I was at the edge of my seat the whole time."

Seth recalled "I'm more surprised with the story you guys told me earlier. Where is this friend who rescued you, Annie?"

"He is currently training at the Battle Club facility."

Cirie added, "He should be getting back soon. It's getting late. Should we check in with Nurse Joy, Annie?"

"I think we should."

"Before we leave, Seth, you should join us on our journey. I'm sure you have more stories to tell us. What do you think Annie?"

"I'm fine with that. The more the merrier."

"And I'm sure Dillon won't mind. He's a cool guy. Ok, now let's go to Nurse Joy"

Annie, Cirie, and Seth went to the front desk counter. Nurse Joy was inside the emergency room taking care of Dillon's Pokémon. After a while, Nurse Joy came out and saw the three standing at the front desk.

"Can I help you?" Nurse Joy asked.

Annie asked, "Nurse Joy, have you seen a guy wearing a black leather jacket coming in the Pokémon Center?"

"Yes, there was a young man wearing a leather jacket running in soaking wet with his Tyrogue. I just placed his Pokéballs inside."

Cirie added, "Thanks. Maybe he's inside the room."

The three of them walked to the bedroom. They opened the door and saw Dillon sleeping on the top bunk.

"This little sneak," Cirie said. "He came in without us noticing."

"Don't make fun of him," Annie said. "He's probably tired from training. We should probably rest as well. It's getting late."

"You're right. I'm just teasing him."

Seth said, "That's a good idea. Let's talk tomorrow."

"Good Night!" Annie and Cirie said together.

All three of them washed up and went to bed. Dillon woke up early the next morning. He got dressed and walked out to the front counter to meet Nurse Joy.

"Thank you for taking care of my Pokémon, Nurse Joy."

"You are very welcome."

Dillon walked over to a couch area. He watched the news on the television nearby. Bill McNye was reporting for the Hoenn news channel, Hoenn Now.

"... And in other news. Here is Vivian Meridian with the latest contest news." Bill said

Vivian announced, "Thank you Bill. Now in contest-related news, the Oldale Town 25th Annual Pokémon Contest that concluded yesterday was a big hit and we saw Janice walking away with the covenant ribbon! Now, let's hear from our recent winner from Shari."

The screen transitioned to a female interviewer dressed in a three-pie blue suit named Shari.

Shari said, "Thank you Vivian! Greetings, I am here with the recent contest winner. Hi Janice, Congrats on your recent win."

"Thank you," Janice expressed confidently.

"You gave a beautiful performance. Please give us one word to describe your recent win?"

"Majestic!"

" _She looks familiar._ " Dillon recalled as he watched the interview.

Shari questioned, "That last Moonblast you used against Candice's Surskit left us all stunned. Please, let us know how you felt about it."

Janice gushed, "Well, Swablu was definitely the star today and I was just giving the audience what they wanted to see. I want you all to see how beautiful Swablu and I really are."

"With this win, how many ribbons do you have now?"

"This win gives me my third ribbon."

"You hear it here folks. Janice now has three ribbons and needs two more to enter the Grand Festival. We hope to see more exciting things coming from you in the future. Now Vivian, back to you."

The scene transitioned back to Vivian.

Vivian added, "Thank you Shari! We would like to give a big congratulations to Janice again! Now, speaking of the Grand Festival, the Grand Festival this year is happenning in a month in none other than Slateport City! And for you coordinators trying to earn that last ribbon, there are only a limited number of chances. In fact, there are only two chances remaining. The next contest will be held in Verdenturf Town in two weeks and the final contest before this upcoming Grand Festival will be held in South City in three weeks! I hope to see much more exciting performances during those days. I'm sure every coordinator will give their best in earning their fifth ribbon. Now back to you Bill."

While he was watching, Annie and Cirie just finished getting dress. They joined Dillon at the front lobby.

"Dillon's over there," Cirie points out.

"Good Morning Dillon, you came back late last night and went to bed without us noticing." Annie said.

Dillon apologized, "Oh sorry. I was tired from training and wanted to sleep when I came back."

"Should we eat breakfast first?" Cirie suggested.

Dillon tossed a protein bar at Cirie.

Dillon said, "Here's a protein bar. let's get going."

"Your gym battle can wait." Cirie said.

Dillon insisted, "No, let's hit the road to Verdenturf."

"What? How about your gym battle?" Annie asked.

"It'll have to wait until next time."

Cirie was concerned, "Did something happen Dillon? You look troubled."

"I said let's get going. Do you not understand?" Dillon raised his voice.

Annie and Cirie were stunned.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to yell. It's urgent. I'll explain along the way."

Cirie asked, "I understand. But can we wait for one person first."

"Who?"

"We met someone yesterday. Cirie invited him to travel with us." Annie explained.

Cirie blushed and said, "What do you mean I invited? You invited him, too."

Dillon questioned, "Alright, but where is this person?"

"I'll go get him," Cirie said.

Cirie went to get Seth.

Annie whispered, "Dillon, just between you and me. His name is Seth and he seems to be interested in Cirie."

"I see and Annie, there is an upcoming contest in Verdenturf Town. You should enter it."

"A contest?"

"Yes, it's going to happen in two weeks."

Cirie was on her way, but she didn't had to go far. Seth was walking out to the front lobby. He was carrying his violin.

"Good Morning Cirie!" Seth said.

Cirie responded, "Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes I did. I want you to meet Dillon. He's right over there."

Cirie and Seth walked over to Dillon and Annie.

"Seth, I would like you to meet Dillon, Annie's hero." Cirie introduced.

"Hero?" Dillon questioned.

"I told him the time you rescued Annie during the Orienteering Competition."

Annie blushed.

"Ah, I see. Anyways, my name is Dillon. Nice to meet you Seth."

"Please to meet you Dillon."

"We're going to leave Mauville now for Annie's contest in Verdenturf."

Cirie questioned, "Contest?"

"Leaving right now?!" Seth added.

"Wait, Annie I didn't know you were a coordinator."

Annie replied, "I'll explain along the way. It's kind of a long story."

Dillon asked, "So Seth, will you be joining us?"

Seth replied, "Yes, I'm actually heading in that direction as well. I have to go to Meteor Falls to get a Pokemon egg for Professor Birch."

"Alright, let's go."

Annie, Dillon, Cirie, and Seth left the Center and arrived at the western perimeter of Mauville via the bus.

When they got off the bus, they walked out of the city and followed a straight, dirt path that goes to Verdenturf Town. The sky was blue, the sun is shining brightly, and they were surrounded by fields of green grass.

"So Annie, when did you decide to become a coordinator?" Cirie questioned.

Annie answered, "It happened when I was in Slateport City, but first since we are travelling with each other, Seth, I want to let you know that my main goal is to find my father."

"Your father?" Seth asked.

"Yes, my father left home when I was four and never returned. I came all the way to the Hoenn Region to find him. Sadly, I haven't found him yet."

"Where are you originally from?"

"The Kalos Region."

"Kalos?! That explains where you got Fennekin."

Annie nodded.

"Now how did you get into contest?" Cirie asked

"So, I just arrived in Slateport City and asked Nurse Joy about my father. She didn't know where he was. Later, she introduced me to watch a contest so I decided to head to the contest hall to buy tickets. When I arrived there, I saw a crowd and at the center was Lisa."

"You met Lisia!?" Seth was shocked.

Dillon asked, "Do you know her?"

"Know her? She's only the number one contest star in the entire Hoenn Region. People say she's even better than her uncle, former Champion Wallace. So what happened next Annie?"

Annie recalled, "If I recall, Lisia was scouting for new coordinators and all of a sudden, she picked me from the crowd."

"You were scouted by her!?"

"Yes, apparently I'm the 100th coordinator she scouted thus far. She later gave me a contest pass and a Pokeblock kit."

"Oh my gosh! She gave you a Pokeblock kit! Have you made any Pokeblocks yet?"

"No I haven't."

"I think you should since there's a contest coming up. Don't worry, I can show you how to use it."

"Thank you."

Cirie said, "I can't believe all that happened to you within the first two days you arrived in Hoenn. Annie! You have to be a coordinator! You were scouted by Lisia! That's a big deal!"

"To be honest, I only wanted to be a coordinator because I could probably use it as a way to find my father. I could put my name out there and hope he will notice me."

"I think that's a good idea! We will all help you train."

"Thanks Cirie."

"Oh boy. How long have we been walking?"

Seth looked at his watch and said, "About an hour."

"An hour? Time sure flies by fast when you're having fun."

The four of them continued to walk down the path to Verdenturf Town.

Seth looked at a map.

He noted, "Foothill Town is actually not too far away from here. We should be there by nighttime or sooner."

Dillon asked, "So Seth, are you a Pokémon researcher?"

"Yes I am. I'm a research assistant for Professor Birch. I just finished with a report in Mauville City and got a new mission from the professor. He wants me to go to a research facility on Meteor Falls to get a Pokemon egg the researchers found up there."

"What was the report you were working on?" Cirie asked.

"I had to write about the Steel Pokemon living in the Valley of Steel just north of Mauville City."

Annie questioned, "The Valley of Steel?"

"Yes, the Valley of Steel is home to a variety of Steel-type Pokémon. The professor sent me there to investigate on their habitat; however, my research was delayed because I got into an accident with the wild Pokemon living there. I was lucky to have my Magneton there to communicate with them. From their communication, I was able to research the Pokémons' diet, habitat, and behavior. I also learned the Valley of Steel was actually a small kingdom with a Steelix as the king."

Cirie said, "That sounds like it was an amazing adventure."

All of a sudden, Cirie's stomach growled.

"Oops, that was my stomach. I'm hungry."

Seth noted, "It is getting close to lunchtime. Should we stop for lunch?"

Dillon expressed, "I actually want to get to Foothill Town asap, but I'm getting kind of hungry as well."

"Me, too." Annie said.

Dillon became aware of his surroundings.

"Great, I can whip up some stew for us real quick," Cirie said.

The group sets down a blanket to have a picnic. Cirie took out her small camping stove and pot to make stew.

"Wow, you're prepare on this journey," Seth noted.

"Oh, I just like to cook my meals in general."

"What kind of stew are you going to make?"

"Vegetable stew."

Annie suggested, "Let's sent out our Pokémon!"

Seth complimented, "Good Idea!"

"Fennekin and Plusle, let's eat!"

Seth threw out his Pokéballs, "Magneton, Mightyena, and Umbreon, time for lunch!"

Dillon responded, "Tyrogue, Seviper, and Minun, lunchtime, too."

"We can't forget you Makit," Cirie responded.

Cirie cooked a delicious vegetable stew for everyone to eat. After eating lunch, the group continued to head towards Foothill Town. After a long day of walking, the group finally got to Foothill Town by dusk.

"Excuse me, ma'am. Can you let us know where the Pokémon Center is? Cirie questioned a woman passerby.

"Oh, dear. I'm afraid there's no Pokémon Center in Foothill Town." The passerby explained.

"What!? What do you mean there's no Pokémon Center?"

"I guess we have to stay in a hotel." Seth suggested. "Let's walk around town."

The four of them found a small hostel nearby and stayed there for the night. After dinner, the four of them gathered in their bedroom wearing pajamas. There were two twin size beds and the four of them sat on the ground between the beds.

* * *

In the next part, Dillon will explain his story to his friends.


	13. Chapter 10: Am I Not Entitled to a Life?

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

~When~

" _When the mountain has no edges and angle,_

 _When the river does not flow,_

 _When time stops making no difference between day and night,_

 _When all things crumble to dust,_

 _I still cannot break up with you,_

 _Cannot break up with you._

 _Your gentle warmth…_

 _is the greatest expectation in my life._

 _When the sun does not rise,_

 _When the earth does not rotate,_

 _When there is no difference between the seasons,_

 _When all the flowers and trees withered,_

 _I still cannot split up with you,_

 _Cannot split up with you._

 _Your smile…_

 _is the greatest reminiscence in my life._

 _Let the secularity go with us, have a stylish life,_

 _Ride horses and share a prosperous world,_

 _Sing with wine and express the joy in our hearts,_

 _Live vigorously and seize the youth._

* * *

The four of them found a small hostel nearby and stayed there for the night. After dinner, the four of them gathered in their bedroom wearing pajamas. There were two twin size beds and the four of them sat on the ground between the beds.

"So, Dillon. Why did we leave Mauville in a hurry," Cirie asked. "I'm dying to find out."

Dillon explained, "Yes, I think I owe you guys an explanation. But where should I start? I guess I should start since I was young. I grew up with my dad, my mom, two younger brothers, and two younger sisters. Ever since I was young, I knew I was different than them. We attended school and excelled in a sport or art. I chose to practice medicine from my mom. My brothers and I would practice martial arts together. I eventually rose up to the black belt rank.

I'm no different than my siblings, but I have one huge secret and that is I love Pokémon. I knew I love Pokémon since I was four. My mom had a Growlithe as our pet. We would call him Growlie. For some reason, he was the only Pokémon allowed in our house. And it was because of Growlie that I even became interested in learning about Pokémon. When I was four, I asked my mom one question."

* * *

 _'Mom, can I study Pokémon?'_

 _His mother said, 'You love Pokémon, don't you?'_

 _'Yes I do! I love playing with Growlie. I also love playing with Aipom, Sentret, and Mankey whenever we visit Ecruteak Park.'_

 _'Son, I understand you and I want nothing more, but to make you happy. Let me think about it.'_

 _'Mom, I really want to learn more about Pokémon. Please let me.'_

 _'I will consider it. Why don't you go do your homework or else your dad will be mad at you again.'_

 _'Ok.'_

 _Dillon went back to his room. His mother looked at him as he walked out of the living room._

* * *

 _As Dillon walked back to his bedroom, his mother thought, 'What have I done? Have my past actions come back to haunt me? What should I do? I want him to be happy.'_

* * *

Dillon continued to explain to his friends, "And after that, my mom secretly hired a Pokémon tutor. The tutor taught me the basics from Pokémon battling to caring for Pokémon. I learned from him almost everyday for an hour after school in a coffee shop. This lasted for about two years. My father never found out.

However, one day my father walked into my room and saw me reading a guidebook about Pokémon. He became enraged and took my book away. He also searched through my room for other Pokémon related items. I had many Pokémon books stashed away in my closet, but my father found them and took them all away. My father later confronted my mother in their bedroom. I was outside listening."

* * *

 _His father shouted in anger, 'How can you buy him these things?!'_

 _'I can't help it. He said he loves Pokémon. I only wanted to make him happy." his mother explained._

 _'He has to focus on his studies, not spending time with those creatures. My children will become successful people. They will not fool around with these creatures.'_

 _'Why are you so mad? Can you keep the volume down?'_

 _Dillon heard angry footsteps, a loud slap, and his mother screaming._

 _"What else did you give him? He has to focus on his studies! If he fails at school, then I will settle scores with you then! Wait and see!"_

* * *

Dillon recalled, "From that time, I started to be fearful of my dad. I saw him yelling at my mom. He was filled with hatred and selfishness. He also gave me a lecture."

* * *

 _Dillon was in his room on his bed. Suddenly, his father slammed open the door._

 _"How dare you?!" he said, growing angry._

 _His flared nostrils showed his anger. He was also holding a whip._

 _"Get over here."_

 _Dillon sat at the corner of his bed in fear and shook his head._

 _"GET OVER HERE!" his father shouted in anger._

 _Dillon slowly got out of bed and walked by his father's side. When Dillon approached his father, he raised his hand and whipped Dillon. Dillon screamed and cried as the whip dug into his shirt and skin._

 _"How dare you?" he whipped his son again._

 _"How dare you stash these books in secret? I forbidden you to have contact with these creatures ever again!" he continuously whipped his son while talking. Red scars appeared on Dillon's face and body. His mother suddenly ran in the room._

 _"Stop! Please!" she said sympathetically. She held Dillon in her arms. "Please don't hurt him. He's your son. Don't be like this."_

 _His father said, "Dillon, I want you to swear that you'll never be in contact with Pokémon ever again."_

 _Dillon looked at his father and was spilling tears. He looked directly at his father and saw a pair of angry eyes._

 _"Swear!" he whipped his son hard again._

 _"I-I-I s-s-swear that I will n-never be in contact Pokémon e-ever again and I w-will focus on my studies." Dillon said in fear._

 _His father left the room and his mother_ _embraced him with a hug while crying at the same time._

 _"Son, I'm sorry. This is all my fault."_

* * *

Cirie was touched and said, "Dillon. You had a rough past. I'm sorry." Cirie gave Dillon a hug to comfort him. Annie held his hand. Seth patted his back. A tear rolled down Dillon's cheek.

Dillon said, "And from that moment for the next five years, I stopped learning and had no contact with Pokémon. My father also took away Growlie. I was so sad and afraid at the same time. I was afraid of my father. I didn't know what else to do, but focus on my studies."

"What happened next?" Seth asked.

"Through the next five years, I studied, practiced martial arts, and practiced medicine. I excelled in school, became a black belt, learned a bunch of herb medicine and healing techniques, and became a piano prodigy. I wanted to make my father proud, but I still loved Pokémon deep inside.

When I was ten years old, I left home to study in Goldenrod City. One night, I was walking along the streets and saw Tyrogue. Tyrogue was tied up with a rope to a pole in a dark alleyway. I saw that Tyrogue was shivering in the cold and in pain. He had fear in his eyes. When I approached him, he attacked me, but I eventually was able to free him. Once I did, Tyrogue seemed very weak and passed out. I took him back to my dorm room and took care of him in secret. At first, it was hard because Tyrogue always ran away. However, every time I was able to find him and every time he was collapsed on the ground due to weakness. He would get himself in trouble a lot. During the tenth time, I was able to convince Tyrogue to finally be my partner."

* * *

 _Dillon search through the streets of Goldenrod City while yelling out to Tyrogue._

 _'Tyrogue! Where are you?'_

 _He searched the alleyway where he found Tyrogue, but Tyrogue wasn't there. Dillon searched and searched until nightfall. Meanwhile, Tyrogue was at a small park about to battle a trainer with a Persian._

 _'C'mon Persian, let's defeat this puny Tyrogue for meddling in our business."_

 _Persian growled arrogantly and angered Tyrogue._

 _'Use Scratch attack!"_

 _Persian was agile and quickly launched a scratch attack. Tyrogue was hurt and double team. Multiple copies of Tyrogue appeared._

 _"Now, use Water Pulse!"_

 _Persian released a blue water ball towards the ground a wave appeared. The wave was able to knock out the real Tyrogue among the copies. Tyrogue became weak in the process. The trainer commanded Persian to use a scratch attack. Before Persian could attack, Dillon blocked Tyrogue and got attacked by Persian. Tyrogue was shocked._

 _'Tyrogue, don't worry. I have your back.' Dillon said._

 _The trainer said, 'Who told your butt in? Get out the way!'_

 _'If you want to battle Tyrogue. You have to get though me.' Dillon said._

 _'Then don't blame me if you get hurt. Persian, use Shadow Ball!'_

 _Persian released a dark orb of energy at Dillon. The Shadow Ball attack Dillon. However, Dillon did not back down and released multiple punches and kicks at Persian. He used his martial art skills to protect Tyrogue. When Persian was about to land with a bite attack, Dillon used his quick hands to clamp down on the cat's jaws._

 _The trainer commanded, 'Iron Tail!'_

 _Even though Dillon got a hold on Persian's mouth, Persian swung its tail at Dillon causing Dillon to fall back. When Persian was about to land a Bite attack, Tyrogue leaped forward and effectively tackled Persian. Tyrogue landed another Tackle attack._

 _'Tyrogue, that was great!' Dillon praised. 'Let's finish this together! Use your Tackle again!'_

 _Dillon and Tyrogue ran toward Persian. Tyrogue tackled it first. Then, Dillon jumped and launched a kick attack at Persian sending Persian flying toward a tree. Persian fainted._

 _The trainer became scared and ran off. Dillon turned towards Tyrogue and knelt down._

 _'Buddy, where have you been? I been searching all over for you. Thank you for protecting me during the battle._ _I saw the determination in your eyes. Why don't you team up with me? Let's be stronger as a team.'_

 _Tyrogue looked at Dillon and extended a fist._

* * *

Dillon continued to explain to his friends, "After that, Tyrogue and I became a team. I went to school in the day and trained with Tyrogue at night. We did everything together from training to battling to eating to sleeping together.

Fast forward five years later, I graduated school early and wanted to travel with Tyrogue to gain more experience. I went home and begged my parents to allow me to go on a journey. You can imagine how my dad was. He obviously did not want me to leave. He wanted me to help out with the family business. I began to lose hope and lost confidence in all areas in my life. I felt angry that I couldn't live out my dream. Why did I have to live under someone else's rules? I felt angry and jealous of the many trainers going on a Pokémon journey with their starter Pokémon.

This happened for days; however, one night, I sat in an alley by my house crying. All of a sudden, my mother came."

* * *

 _Dillon was sitting lamenting in an alleyway with Tyrogue standing by his side. All of a sudden, his mother approached._

 _His mom said, 'Hey Dillon, Look what I have.'_

 _'What mom?'_

 _She has a backpack, a set of clothes, and a ticket._

 _'I have here your backpack and a change of clothes. I want you to follow your dreams and go on your_ _journey. I packed everything for you in this backpack. Also, here is a ticket for you to head to Slateport City in the Hoenn Region that leaves in an hour. I arranged a ride for you.'_

 _'But, mom. What about you? Won't Dad find out?'_

 _'Don't worry about me. I'll figure out what to say. Now take this and head out as quickly as possible.'_

 _"Mom, how can I ever thank you?"_

 _'Win the Hoenn League. And don't call me what so ever.'_

 _Dillon gave his mom one last hug._

* * *

"And that's how I came to the Hoenn Region. Now, you know that I ran away from home and left my mom. I don't even know how's she doing. I can't even call or see her. And now I found out my father is sending goons to take me back home. It's like I'm not entitled to a life of my own and my life is completely owned by another person."

Dillon cried while his friends surrounded him to comfort him.

* * *

That's it for Chapter 9. Thank you so much for reading!

So, what did you think of the first part and this one? There were a lot of revealing in this chapter, but hopefully it shows the four are getting closer and have each other's backs.


	14. Chapter 11: Is that a Ralts I hear?

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

In a black van, Sebastian was on a video call with Dillon's father, his boss.

"You imbecile. How can a group of adult men be defeated by a child?" his boss angrily said. "You must catch him and bring him back."

Sebastian noted, "Yes sir, but the thing is that he has his Pokèmon to help him."

"Then, we shall confront him with Pokèmon."

* * *

Cirie was meditating in the motel courtyard at five in the morning. She still felt the leftover mist from the morning fog dropping from sky. Cirie breathed in the fresh air deeply. Her friends were still asleep. After about an hour, Seth woke up, washed up, got dressed, and went to the motel community kitchen to prepare breakfast. He decided to make scrambled eggs with sausages. He gathered his ingredients and just when he was about to break the eggs, Cirie walked into the kitchen with a towel over her shoulder. She just finished her morning shower.

"Oh Good Morning Seth," Cirie said. "What are you making?"

Seth replied, "Scrambled eggs with sausages."

Seth continued to beat the eggs with a whip. Cirie gathered the sausages and began to cut them into thin slices. She stood near Seth. The young research student blushed a little knowing his crush was a step away. As Seth was beating the eggs, he sprinkled a pinch of salt into the mix.

"Finished, now I'm going to get a pan."

"Wait! You didn't add corn starch. I see some at that counter over there."

"Why do I have to add corn starch?"

"Because it'll make the eggs fluffy and smooth."

Cirie grabbed the corn starch from the counter and mixes some into the eggs. She continued to beat the batter some more with the whip. Seth was intrigued.

"There we go. Now fry it."

Seth turned on a medium heat at the stove and poured a dash of oil. After a few minutes, he poured the batter out slowly into pan. The oil in the pan sizzled as the eggs cooked. Seth sprinkled some pepper as he mixed the eggs.

"Smells good!" Cirie said.

In a while, Seth poured the scrambled eggs onto a plate. He gave it a taste.

"It is fluffy and creamy. Great idea to use corn starch Cirie."

"I do know some tricks when it comes to cooking. I like your techniques. One look at your calmness tells me you know how to cook. You're not bad despite the fact you don't know that corn starch make eggs smooth."

Cirie chuckled. Seth rolled his eyes.

"Well, enough with the cooking lessons. I'm going to make my special fruit cake for us to enjoy."

"Your special fruit cake? Can I help?"

"Nope, it's my secret recipe. I'll let you in some day." Cirie winked.

Seth smiled and thought she is probably hinting that she loved him. He continued to cook his sausages while Cirie baked. In two hours, Annie and Dillon woke up. They got dressed and head to the community dining hall to look for their friends.

"I can't believe I overslept," Dillon said.

Annie said, "We all have days we want to sleep in. Don't worry."

"Oh Good Morning you two," Seth greeted.

Annie and Dillon walked into the kitchen and were surprised. They saw scrambled eggs with sausages, a fruit cake, a lot of berries, and glasses of moo moo milk on a large table. Seth and Cirie were sitting at the table waiting for them.

"About time y'all woke up sleepy heads," Cirie teased. "Seth and I are about to turn into stone, cold rocks. And nice hair Dillon."

Seth and Cirie laughed while Dillon try to pat down his messy bedhead.

Annie said concerning, "I'll help you clean up. Let's go to the washroom."

Dillon responded, "That's ok. I'll eat breakfast first since it's already cooked. Thanks guys! You guys made so much food."

"Seth got up extra early to make everything. He cares so much." Cirie exaggerated.

Seth said, "No. Cirie and I both prepared this meal for you guys. We wanted to let you know that we have your backs despite the difficulties you guys are facing."

"I didn't think that. I just wanted to eat."

Cirie chuckled and ate the scrambled eggs. Seth smiled and shook his head at Cirie.

Annie said, "Anyways, thank you for the meal."

Cirie added, "You people are too nice and cheesy. Let's dig in already. The food isn't going to eat itself."

The others laughed and began to eat the breakfast meal. After breakfast, the group continued along the way to Verdanturf Town. They walked along a path that lead them into a forest. All of a sudden, Dillon heard a voice.

" _Help me._ "

Dillon said, "Did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Cirie asked.

Seth added, "No one said anything."

"I swore I heard someone called for help." Dillon explained.

"I don't see anyone other than us around." Cirie noted.

" _Help me!_ "

"There it goes again!" Dillon said and looked around.

Seth wondered, "You're probably hearing things. I think you're frightened by what happened in Mauville that other night."

"No I'm not."

" _Help me!_ "

Dillon heard the sound coming from the tall grass nearby and ran towards the direction. He pushed through the grass and saw a small green Pokemon lying on the ground. His friends followed.

"A Ralts!" Seth noted.

Cirie added, "It looks weak."

Dillon placed a hand on Ralts' head.

"It has a fever." Dillon felt.

Seth responded, "We need to put some ice on it. C'mon out, Walrein!"

"Makit, you help out too!" Cirie said.

"Walrein, use Ice Ball. We need some ice to help Ralts feel better."

An ice ball formed around the large walrus like Pokémon's mouth.

"Makit, use Arm Thrust to smash the ice to pieces."

Makit striked the ice with his arms. Seth gathered the ice together and wrapped it up in a hankerchief. Dillon carried Ralts in his arm.

"Can one of you make a bed for Ralts?" Dillon asked.

"I can," Annie replied.

"I'll cook up some stew for Ralts," Cirie suggested.

Seth added, "I'll help you."

"If only you know my secret recipe."

"Just because I forgot some corn starch, doesn't mean I can't cook."

Cirie stuck out her tongue to tease Seth.

After Annie laid out her sleeping bag, Dillon placed Ralts down on the soft bag. He laid the bag of ice on top of Ralts forehead. Cirie and Seth cooked up a stew and presented some for Ralts.

"Here Dillon, why don't you feed Ralts," Cirie said.

"Thanks," Dillon said. "Now Ralts, try some of the stew."

Dillon handed a spoonful of stew for Ralts, but Ralts turned her head.

"C'mon Ralts, you have to eat something if you want to feel better."

Ralts did not feel like eating.

"This is not good. Ralts has a high fever. We have to try to bring the fever down as much as possible, but we might have to end up bringing it to the Pokémon center."

Seth searched on a map.

Seth noted, "Here's the problem guys. There's no Pokémon center nearby and the nearest is in Verdenturf Town which is 20 miles away and will take at least a day or two."

"We can't rely on a Pokémon center then. I'll just have to take care of Ralts myself. I'll go find some herbs. Please take care of Ralts guys."

Cirie responded, "Yes, we should set up camp here, too."

Dillon searched through the forest for herb plants.

" _Where can I find some lemon balm? I know those can reduce fevers._ "

The forest was dense. Dillon climbed up trees to spot for herbs. He used everything he learned about medicine from his studies to help his new friend, Ralts.

Back at camp, Seth was cooking over the campfire while Annie, Fennekin, and Plusle sat next to Ralts. Seth's Walrein, Swellow, and Nuzleaf were also sitting next to Ralts. Cirie and Makit were away collecting firewood. Annie read a story to Ralts and the other Pokémon. Ralts was still resting. Seth walked over to them.

"How's Ralts doing, Annie?" Seth asked.

Annie replied, "Not too well. Ralts still haven't woke up."

"I hope Dillon can find some herbs that will help."

Annie and Seth sat next to Ralts and replaced a new ice pack every so often. After a hour or so, Cirie and Makit returned with firewood.

"Is Ralts still sleeping?" Cirie asked.

Seth replied, "Yeah, I'm just worried that this is only going to worsen the fever even more."

"I sure hope Dillon gets back soon. Oh, I got more firewood."

"Thanks, Let's check on the fire."

Annie took out her Pokèdex to learn more about Ralts.

" _Ralts, the feeling Pokèmon. Ralts senses the emotions of people using the horns on its head. This Pokèmon rarely apprears before people, but when it does, it draws closer if senses that the person has a positive disposition._ "

A few minutes later, Dillon returned with a bag of items.

"Hey guys," Dillon said.

Annie said, "Dillon, you're back finally. Ralts is still asleep."

Dillon felt Ralts' head and Ralts still had a fever. He then took out some lemon balms he found.

Annie asked, "What is that?"

"Lemon balm. They can help one reduce a fever. I can crush it up and mix it with water into a drink for Ralts." Dillon answered. "It will be kind of bitter, but I also found some Oran berries that looked ripe. I can grind that up to make a drink, too. Annie can you help me grind it?"

"Sure, " Annie said.

Seth added, "We'll help, too."

Dillon grinded the herb into small pieces with a mortar and mixed it with water. Annie and Seth grinded up the berries. He fed a spoonful to Ralts, but Ralts refused to drink.

"Ralts, please drink this," Dillon pleaded.

Seth suggested, "Try this baby bottle, Dillon."

"Perfect, Thanks Seth," Dillon expressed.

Dillon poured the liquid herb medicine into a baby bottle. He pointed the tip at Ralts' mouth gently. This time, Ralts decided to take a sip.

Dillon assured, "Ralts, this is good for you. I will take care of you. I promise."

For some reason, Ralts felt some sort of connection with Dillon and began sucking on the bottle. After a few minutes, Ralts finished drinking. Dillon took the grinded oran berries from Annie and mixed it with water to form a berry juice.

"Here you go Ralts, this oran berry juice will give you energy."

Ralts started to drink the bottle.

Seth added, "Wow, Dillon. I'm certaining impressive. Ralts trusted and listened to you real quick. Now why don't we give Ralts some stew again and we should enjoy some, too."

Dillon gently blew the stew to cool it off and scooped some to feed Ralts. She felt touched by Dillon's compassion.

Dillon gently said, "Ralts, this stew is really good and if you eat it, you will feel better."

Ralts finished the stew and took a nap to heal. Dillon and his friends accompanied Ralts.

"Now, we just have to let Ralts sleep."

Cirie added, "Dillon you should eat some stew while we wait."

"Thanks, Cirie."

"I'm going to play some music to accompany us," Seth proposed.

Seth took out his violin and played a spring-time melody for the group. All of a sudden, some men in black suits appeared.

"There you are," said Sebastian.

Dillon angrily said, "Stop following me. I already told you, I'm not going back!"

"You're still stubborn as ever."

Cirie added, "These must be the people who are going after Dillon."

"Look what we have here, it seems you made some friends Dillon."

"Argh, leave them alone!" Dillon shouted.

"I promise that we won't hurt them. We're only here for you. Why must you make this hard on us? We're just trying to fulfill our orders. Now surrender peacefully."

"Guys, get Ralts and run out of here."

Annie said, "But Dillon…"

"Just go!"

Seth added, "Dillon we're help you. We…"

"GO!"

"You can't go back with them," Cirie said.

"What part of go do you guys not know?!"

Annie began to walk towards Dillon, but Seth grabbed her hand and shook his head. The three of them returned their Pokémon to their Pokéballs. Cirie picked up Ralts and the three of them ran away from the scene.

"That's much better. Now young master, please follow us."

"I'm never going back."

"Then, don't blame me for using force again. Men attack!"

Sebastian's lackies sent out Pokèballs. Two Golbats, a Weezing, an Arbok, and a Tyranitar appeared.

"C'mon out guys," Dillon commanded.

Dillon sent out Tyrogue, Minun, and Seviper to help.

"Minun, use Thunderbolt on the two Golbats! Tyrogue, use Brick Break on Tyranitar! Seviper use Poison Tail at Arbok!"

Tyrogue, Minun, and Seviper quickly attacked. Minun successfully launched a Thunderbolt attack and caused the Golbats to faint. Seviper used his tail to swing a Poison Tail attack at Arbok. Tyrogue's right arm glowed as he raised it and slammed it down on Tyranitar.

Sebastian commanded, "Weezing, Sludge attack at Minun! Arbok, use wrap on Tyrogue! Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam on Seviper!"

"Dodge it you guys!"

Minun swiftly dodged the sludge attack, Tyrogue nearly avoided the wrap attack by jumping out of Arbok's coiled tail at the last minute. However, the Hyper Beam attack made its mark and Seviper fainted.

"Seviper, return." Dillon said.

"Minun, use Thunderbolt attack on Weezing! Tyrogue, use Low Sweep on Tyranitar again!"

Minun launched a jolt of electricity at Weezing. Unfortunately, Weezing dodged the electricity attack. As for Tyranitar, he couldn't move due to the Hyper Beam attack.

"Arbok, Tackle on Tyrogue!" Sebastian commanded.

Arbok intercepted Tyrogue's path with a Tackle attack.

"Use Brick Break on Tyranitar, Tyrogue!"

Tyrogue launched forward with a Brick Break; however, Tyranitar recovered and grabbed Tyrogue by the leg and flung him towards a tree.

"Haha, good Tyranitar! Now use another Thrash and Hyper Beam on that pathetic Tyrogue!"

Tyranitar ran towards a falling Tyrogue and attacked violently. Then, Tyranitar used a Hyper Beam at Minun. Both Pokèmon were weak and lied down on the ground.

"C'mon guys, you guys can get up. I believe in you!" Dillon encouraged.

Sebastian commanded, "Now, use another Thrash at Dillon!"

Tyranitar ran towards Dillon violently. Dillon was shocked. All of a sudden, Dillon was down on the ground.

Meanwhile, Annie, Cirie, Seth, and Ralts ran some distance away. Ralts felt that Dillon was in trouble.

"I think we should go back and help Dillon," Annie suggested.

Cirie added, "Something tells me that we should."

Ralts then teleported away from Cirie's arms.

"Hmm, where did Ralts go?" Cirie wondered.

"Ralts probably used Teleport and is probably heading back to Dillon." Seth said. "Since Ralts is the Feeling Pokèmon, she probably sensed that Dillon is in danger."

Annie said, "Then what are we waiting for. Let's head back too!"

Back at the battle, Tyranitar had launched another thrash attack on Dillon. Dillon lied on the gound injured with his jacket torn apart. Dillon already summoned Tyrogue and Minun back to their Pokèballs.

" _How can my dad do this to me?_ " He thought as he struggled to get up.

Sebastian laughed as he saw Dillon struggle. "Where is this tough trainer now?" His lackeys also laughed.

"Tyranitar, use another Thrash! I love seeing his defeated look."

Tyranitar ran towards Dillon in a violent rampage. All of a sudden, Ralts appeared with a safeguard in front of Dillon. The safeguard blocked Tyranitar and sent it flying back.

"Ralts?" Dillon shockingly said. "Ralts, what are you doing here? It's not safe."

Dillon mustered up his energy and got up.

"Ralts, thank you for protecting me! But you have to leave."

Ralts shook her head and released a Disarming Voice attack at Tyranitar. Ralts screamed and pink sound waves attacked Tyranitar. It dealt damage, but was not enough.

"How sweet? Looks like your little friend came to help, but how can something that small defeat my Tyranitar?" Sebastian arrogantly teased.

"Then, we'll show you the power of friendship!" Seth shouted.

Annie, Cirie, and Seth ran back to Dillon.

"Walrein, I choose you!" Seth said.

Cirie added, "Makit, C'mon and help!"

"Dillon, you're all hurt!" Annie said. She saw the wounds on Dillon's face and his tored-up clothes.

Seth commanded, "Walrein, you surf!"

Cirie followed, "Makit, use Arm thurst on that Tyranitar!"

Walrein formed a huge wave and sent it toward Tyranitar, Arbok, and Weezing. The surf caused damage. Makit launched multiple fists at Tyranitar eventually causing it to faint.

"Finish with Ice Beam!" Seth commanded.

Walrein launched an Ice Beam attack on Arbok, Weezing, Tyranitar and the men. The ice attack froze them all.

"Quickly, we must go now."

Seth and Cirie returned their Pokèmon back to their Pokèballs. The four of them and Ralts ran away. Sebastian and his lackeys were frozen like a popsicle. After they ran some distance, they stopped to catch their breath.

Dillon asked, "Why did you guys come back?"

Cirie said, "You think you can defeat them alone?"

"We wanted to come back and help you Dillon," Seth said.

"Because that's what friends are for."

Annie added, "We're not just friends, we're also family. I know I didn't do much to help you Dillon, but I'll always be on your side."

"Remember Dillon, you don't have to go through this alone," Cirie said.

Ralts was in Dillon's arms and jumped down to the ground. She nodded in agreement.

"Say, I think Ralts is trying to say she wants to go with you," Seth said.

"Is that true Ralts?" Dillon asked.

Ralts nodded her head.

Dillon took out a Pokèball and threw it at Ralts. Ralts turned into a red light and went inside. The Pokèball rocked three times while a red light flashed. After the third time, the Pokèball became still. Dillon picked up the Pokèball.

"Looks like you caught a new Pokèmon," Seth said.

A smile formed along Dillon's face.

Dillon said, "Ralts, look like you and me are now part of a team."

He said, "Thank you guys. To tell you the truth, I really did needed help back there and am extremely appreciative of you guys. I can't believe my own father is treating me like this. This makes me more frustrated with him even more. But now I know I have you guys. We are now a family. Let's put our hands in the middle."

Everyone stood in a circle and placed their hands in the middle.

"Let's cheer to us being a family."

"Let's cheer to our new addition in Ralts!" Seth added.

"Let's cheer that we will support one another!" Annie added.

"Let's cheer to never being separated again!" Cirie added.

* * *

Later in the night, Sebastian and his lackey's became unfroze from the ice.

"I was so close, but his friends got in the way." Sebastian said.

One of his men said, "Sir, we need to figure out a way to separate the four of them."

"But how?"

* * *

That's it for this chapter! What do you think of the newest member of the team, Ralts? And how will Annie do in the upcoming Verdenturf Contest? Will they even make it? You will find out due time.

What do you think of the group dynamics? Leave it in the comments below!

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it! Hope you guys enjoy reading it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow

Nuzleaf


	15. Chapter 12: I want to leave first

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.

* * *

After a daring escape from Sebastian and his henchmen, Dillon and his friends hid in the forest until the night. When the sky was dark, they continued to head toward Verdenturf Town. They reached the town by dawn.

"Let's head to the Pokémon Center to rest," Cirie suggested.

"Good Idea," Dillon said. "I'm starting to feel a little hungry."

Seth jokingly replied, "A little hungry? Your stomach has been making more sounds than the four of combined."

Annie and Cirie laughed. The four of them make their way to the Pokémon Center. When they arrived, they greeted Nurse Joy and gave her their Pokémon. After that, they walked to the dining hall to grab a meal. There were many breakfast items on the menu including pancakes, waffles, toast, juice, tea, and coffee.

While he was sipping his warm, dark coffee, Seth saw a colorful advertisement for the Pokémon Contest. He asked, "So Annie, have you thought about what you're going to do for the contest?"

Annie was in the middle of eating her Oran Berry waffle. "Oh, I almost forgot about that," she choked.

"Are you ok?" Cirie asked while patting her back. "Drink some of your juice."

"Thanks, Cirie. But I'm not sure how to start. Seth, can you show me how to use my Pokéblock blender?"

Seth said, "Of course!"

After he finished his meal, Seth walked to the front counter to speak with Nurse Joy.

"Nurse Joy, is there a berry market in town where I can buy some berries?" Seth asked.

Nurse Joy replied, "Actually, there is a berry garden at the Center and anyone can feel free to pick as many berries they desire."

"Thank you for the information Nurse Joy."

Seth walked back to his friends in the dining hall and informed his travelling companions about the berry garden. After they finished breakfast, they walked to the Center Berry Garden.

Cirie noted, "There sure are a lot of berries. Can all these be used to make Pokéblock?"

"Yes, there are many different types of berries," Seth described. "That blue one over there is called an Oran Berry. It was in the waffle you just ate, Annie. Those pink ones over there are called Pecha Berries. They look pretty ripe. And that red one…"

"This looks delicous," Dillon said.

"No!"

Dillon took a bite of the red, spiky berry and instantly felt a sting. His lips swelled up.

"Gosh, it's real spicy. What is this?"

"That's a Tomato Berry and it's really spicy."

"Why do they grow berries like these?" Dillon wondered. The spiciness of the berry was unbearable.

"All berries have different effects on Pokémon." Seth informed. He picked a Mago Berry. "Here, eat this Dillon. It's called a Mago Berry. It is very sweet and might help with the burn."

"It helps a little, but the berry has a pungent taste."

Cirie laughed and teased, "What a kid!"

"Shut up Cirie."

"What kind of effects do the berries have?" Annie asked Seth.

Seth explained, "For starters, you can crush them up into Pokémon food. Mixing berries into Pokémon food can provide nutrients, heal injuries, and restore energy. All berries have their own specific kind of effect. Over there is a Sitrus Berry tree. Sitrus Berries can give Pokémon lots of energy. I'm also writing a book that tells which berries to give to which Pokémon and how much to give it. It's currently in the works, but I'm hoping to get it published one day. Enough about me, let's start picking berries.

"This spiciness still won't go away," Dillon said. "I'm going to head inside to drink some moo moo milk to ease the spiciness. Catch you guys later!"

"Alright."

"See ya, Dillon," Annie said.

"Now, Pokéblocks are usually a snack to raise a Pokémon's condition in contest and should be eaten with a specific Pokémon diet. I have studied Plusle before and can whip up a recipe, but I'm not too sure about Fennekin."

Cirie noted, "Well it is rare in the Hoenn Region."

"Yes. But I do notice that Fennekin like Spelon berries, but since those berries are rare in the Hoenn Region, I have to do more research first. Making Pokéblocks is all about experimenting to see what your Pokémon like. Sometimes, it takes trainers months or even years to come up with the right recipe so let's start off slow. Let's pick some berries and experiment."

* * *

Meanwhile, Dillon is in the dining hall drinking a glass of moo moo milk to help ease the spiciness. Soon after, Janelle walked inside the dining hall and saw Dillon.

" _It's him._ " She blushed a little.

Janelle walked up to Dillon and said, "Hi, do you remember me? We met at Slateport City. You saved me from falling."

A blank expression formed on Dillon's face for a second.

"Uh, oh yeah. You do look familiar," Dillon recalled.

"I don't think we introduced ourselves. My name is Janelle. What is your name?"

"My name is Dillon. Nice to meet you. Please excuse me, I'm going to do some training."

" _He's so cute._ "

* * *

Dillon walked out of the dining hall and to the front desk.

"Nurse Joy, can I get my Pokémon? I want to do some training with them."

"Of course. Please give me a minute." Nurse Joy said.

After a few minutes, Nurse Joy came out with Dillon's Pokéballs.

"Here you go. They are all in good shape."

"Thank you. Is there a Battle Club Facility in Verdenturf Town?"

Nurse Joy answered, "Unfortunately, there is no battle club here, but we do have a practice field outside and a training gym here at the Center for your use."

"Where is the gym?"

"It's to your right. Go down that hallway and the gym is at the end."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy."

"My pleasure."

Dillon walked to the gym to do some training with his Pokémon. The gym was fairly spacious. One side of the wall had a glass door and windows revealing the outside battlefield. The sun's rays beamed down on the gym equipment near the windows. There were many weights, a punching bag, and various exercise equipment. Dillon quickly changed in the locker room into comfortable workout clothes and sent out Tyrouge, Minun, Seviper and Ralts.

"Tyrogue, Minun, Seviper, this is our new team member Ralts."

Ralts was shy when she saw the other three Pokémon and hid behind Dillon's leg. Dillon knelt down to comfort Ralts. Minun walked over and happilly greeted Ralts. Dillon searched up Ralts' moves on his Pokédex. She knew Disarming Voice, Teleport, Psychic, and Confusion.

"Alright, guys. Let's do some training. Tyrogue, I want you to use the punching bag over there and practice your kicks. Minun, Seviper, let's do some weight training. Ralts, I want you to do some stretches. It's important to work out your body to be physically capable of any battles and adventures."

Tyrogue practiced kicking and punching near the punching bag. The rest of them went to the mat area to do stretches and lifted weights.

* * *

Meanwhile, Annie, Cirie, and Seth finished picking berries and were in the lobby at a table.

"Now that we have berries, we can start experimenting," Seth said. "It's good to take notes on what berries you use. You can have one of my notebooks."

Seth handed Annie a notebook.

"Thanks Seth." Annie said.

"First, you need to chop the berries into small pieces. Why don't you mix an Oran Berry and Pecha Berry first?"

"Alright."

"I'll help!" Cirie said.

Annie, Seth, and Cirie diced the berries into small pieces.

"Now, let's use your Pokéblock blender." Seth said.

Annie took out her Pokéblock machine and placed it on the table. It was a small blue machine. Seth taught Annie how to use the machine.

"Let's open the lid and put the berries into the machine."

Annie lifted the tray of berries and scooped them into the machine.

"Great, now close the lid. For these four blend buttons. Which blend buttons you push will decide how thick or thin your Pokéblocks will become. It looks like this top left button will create the thickest and you would have to go clockwise to produce thinner ones. This affects the consistency. The thicker you choose, the less Pokéblocks you produce. But sometimes, thick Pokéblocks might have a very pungent taste. It is good to choose less thin, but not too thin or else your Pokéblock will have less nutrients."

"Sounds like a lottery game," Cirie joked.

"Give it a shot, Annie."

Annie said nervously, "Alright, you will never get it until you try."

Annie selected the bottom right button. The blender started to spin. Once it stopped spinning, three purple Pokéblocks were produced.

Seth praised, "Great, you have created your first Pokéblock. Let's give it a taste."

Annie and Seth took a Pokéblock and licked it.

"How is it, Seth," Annie asked.

"It's kind of weak," Seth commented.

Annie gave it a try.

"Calling it weak may be too kind," Annie said.

"Don't worry, let's keep trying. You can fine tune the berries as we experiment. Also, let's head to Nurse Joy to get our Pokémon since we're making Pokéblocks for them." Seth suggested.

"Good idea, I think I'll make something for Makit," Cirie said.

Annie, Cirie, and Seth got their Pokémon from Nurse Joy. They continued to make Pokéblocks throughout the day. Dillon was working out in the gym with Tyrogue, Minun, Ralts, and Seviper. Tyrogue, Minun, and Seviper lifted dumbbells. Dillon was doing dead lifts and Ralts was doing workouts on a small treadmill. After training, Dillon returned his Pokémon to their Pokéballs and walked in the locker room. He removed his sweaty clothes, grabbed a towel, and walked into the sauna.

In the hot sauna, Dillon pondered about his struggles and wondered about the reason of his journey. The heat in the sauna was intense. His face was dripping with sweat. He silently sat on the dry, wooden bench with a towel wrapped around his waist.

" _What am I to do? Sebastian is now hot on my heels. Should I leave Verdenturf by myself? Now that he knows I'm travelling with a group, Annie, Cirie, and Seth are all in danger. If I leave, what if they fall into his hands? At this rate, I wonder how long it'll take until I win even my first gym badge. Is this journey even worth it? Should I just return?_ "

"Wow, I can't believe it's almost nighttime," Cirie said. "What time is it?"

Seth noted, "Goodness, it's seven. Time flies by so fast. How are you doing Annie?"

"I think I'm making good progress. The recipe for Plusle consist of two Mago Berries, one Sitrus Berry, and a Bluk Berry. Plusle looks happy with the Pokéblock. I'm having a bit of a hard time coming up with a recipe for Fennekin since she is picky. I have a Tomato Berry and a half of a Mago Berry. I experimented with different types of berries, but this combo seems like the best one so far." Annie said.

"It will take time. Cirie, how are you doing?"

Cirie said, "It seems like Makit likes sour tasting berries. I'm using Nomel Berries. I find that the tip of the berry is the most sour so I decided to use the tip and combining it with some Pecha Berries."

"That's good you noticed that. I'll note that down on my notebook."

"Hey look, I'm contributing to your book."

"I wonder where Dillon is," Annie wondered.

Seth said, "I'm sure Dillon is fine. He's probably training somewhere around the Center. Let's all get ready for bed."

While Annie and Cirie went to the ladies' bathroom to wash up and get ready for bed, Seth went to the lobby and decided to work on his Pokéblock book. He took out his small laptop from his backpack and notes from the day's experiment. As Seth was typing, Dillon walked out in a tank top and shorts. He just finished showering.

"Hey Seth," Dillon greeted.

Seth replied, "Dillon, there you are. Where did you go today?"

"I went to the gym at the Center to do some exercises and training."

"I probably could have guessed that."

Dillon sat down by Seth.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm working on a book about Pokeblocks. I'm just logging in my data from today's experiments."

They sat next to each other in silence while Seth typed. Dillon looked out a window nearby. It was dark with street lamps lighting up the roads.

"Hey Seth," Dillon said. "I'm thinking of leaving first. Can you take care of Annie?"

Seth stopped typing and said, "What? You want to leave us?"

"I been thinking about it. Sebastian won't be a threat to you guys. He's going to come after me. If I'm gone, he'll leave you guys alone."

"What are you thinking? We just made a pact in the forest to stay together and you can't last one day? Dillon, I know this weighs very heavilly on you and you probably feel like we are a burden, but I want you to know that we will help you through this."

Seth got up from his seat and walked near Dillon. He puts his hand on Dillon's shoulder and assured, "Bro, we'll be here for you."

"I just don't know if this journey is the right decision."

"What do you mean?"

"I initially started on this journey to be the best Pokémon trainer ever, but just days after arriving in the Hoenn Region, I'm heading into roadblock after roadblock. First I met Annie. Second, we were forced to leave Mauville City before I took on the gym."

"Why don't you have more confidence in yourself?" Seth grabbed Dillon by his shirt's collar and pulled him up. "Look at me. Where is the Dillon with the heated, fiery passion for Pokémon battles? Where is the Dillon who gave the pep talk to stay together as a group? Where is the Dillon that rescued Annie from the cliff and from the bully? Look at yourself. You're going to give up just because something small didn't go your way. You look pathetic."

Seth dropped Dillon toward the seat and went back to his own seat.

"Dillon, I felt the same way during my journey. Pokémon researching is hard and I wanted to give up many times. However, I stuck with it because I have a dream to become a reseacher. If you have a dream, go big or go home. You just started on your journey and if you're going to be turned down just because something didn't go your way, then you might as well quit. There will be hardships in a journey. No one has it easy."

"Thank you Seth."

"And if you truly love Annie, then you will stay by her side. That is one reason why I want to travel with you guys. I developed feelings for Cirie and wanted to get to know her. I also want to know you, bro. After hearing Annie tell her story of your rescuing her two times, I'm impressed. Dillon, don't leave. We'll go through this together."

* * *

There's the new chapter! Hope you guys enjoy reading it! The Contest chapter will be two chapters away!

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow

Nuzleaf


	16. Chapter 13: Does She Even Know?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

It was a clear, sunny morning in Verdenturf Town. Annie, Seth, and Cirie were in the Pokémon Center Courtyard doing some contest training.

"Only three more days until the contest," Seth noted.

Annie replied, "It makes me kind of nervous."

"Now, we should do some training. Are you planning on using Plusle or Fennekin in the contest?"

"I'm thinking of using Plusle since she likes to perform. Sorry Fennekin."

Fennekin shook her head stating she doesn't have a problem with Plusle performing. Plusle jumped up and down in excitement.

"Alright, let's look at Plusle's moves."

Annie took out her Pokédex. The Pokédex stated Helping Hand, Electro Ball, Spark, and Swift. After that, Plusle did some somersaults in the air due to excitement.

"It seem like Plusle loves to cheer and perform somersaults," Seth noted.

"Yes it appears to be so," Annie said.

"Let's start off with a spark to dazzle the audience. You want to get the audience hooked to the performance."

"I wonder where is Dillon?" Cirie asked.

Seth replied, "He went out for a run with Tyrogue and Minun. He said he would help Annie train for the battle portion so he should be back by lunch."

"Plusle, use a spark attack," Annie commanded.

"Good, Let's combine that with a somersault."

"Alright, Plusle do a somersault toward the sky and use Spark."

"Now, tell Plusle to use a spark attack while doing a somesault."

Cirie squealed, "That was beautiful. It looks like a shiny disco ball on the dance floor."

"I feel like it can be even cooler and shinier if we give Plusle more Pokéblocks for conditioning, but we'll work on that. Annie, now tell Plusle to launch multiple Electro Balls into the air. I'm curious to see what will happen when the Electro Balls smash into each other."

"Alright, Plusle use Electro Ball into the air!"

The Electro Balls were launched into the air, but hits the ground causing smoke to fly in the air. Annie felt disappointed that it didn't work. Plusle felt Annie's feelings and felt disappointed in herself. However, both were eager to continue practicing.

"I think we have to control the move more. The first two smashed and created a small burst of light. So there's hope. It can be a show stopper. Let's continue to practice." Seth said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Dillon, Tyrogue, and Minun were running by a small park. Janelle was nearby holding shopping bags. Suddenly, a thief ran up to her and attempted to grab a bag out of her hand. Janelle tried to resist, but the thief grabbed it out of her hand. Janelle ran after him and yelled for help.

"Help! Someone help!" Janelle yelled in distress.

Dillon saw the thief and said, "Tyrogue, jump from tree to tree and stop that thief."

Tyrogue maneuvered through the trees within the vicinity, leaped down at the robber, and kicked his face causing him to fall to the ground. Janelle was behind him and saw Dillon.

"Hand over the items." Dillon gave the man a sternful look.

"Quit meddling in my business," the robber groaned since Dillon foiled his plans.

"You won't hand it over, is that right? Tyrogue, teach him a lesson."

Tyrogue used a low sweep and the robber fell again. The robber gave in and ran away.

"Thank you so much," Janelle expressed while breathing hard to catch her breath.

"It's you. We keep bumping into each other. You're Janelle, right?" Dillon recalled.

"Yes, thank you for your help, Dillon."

"I hope nothing is missing."

"Nope, everything looks like they're right in the bag. It's good to see you out jogging this morning."

"Yep, just doing some exercises. It looks like you been busy this morning judgin from your bags of clothes."

"Yeah, a clothing store was having a huge sale and I wanted to take a look. It seems like bought a bit too much."

"Well, you be careful now. Stay aware of thieves."

Dillon and his Pokémon continued on their morning run. As Dillon ran away, Janelle stared toward the distance.

" _He's so handsome and brave._ "

* * *

Back at the Pokémon Center, Annie was still practicing with Plusle. Plusle was having more and more control of her Electro Balls.

Annie praised, "Plusle, that was great. Cirie, your suggestion to juggle the Electro Balls and Seth's suggestion to concentrate on one focus point in the air was brilliant. Who knew Plusle was such a great performer!"

"Plusle is a born performer," Cirie praised.

Seth added, "Yeah, I loved how the Electro Balls created fireworks when they smashed into each other."

"You're going to do great Annie."

"Thanks! But let's continue to practice." Annie said.

Annie practiced until lunchtime. Dillon came back to the Pokémon Center and hurried into the showers to wash up from his run. After the four of them ate lunch, Dillon and Seth helped Annie on her battling skills. Dillon challenged Annie in their practice battle.

"A contest does not just consist of a performance. Coordinators are also judged for their battling skills and how well they show off their moves in a Pokémon battle." Seth explained.

Dillon said, "Annie, I'm going to use Minun in our practice battle. The first thing you need to do is look and feel confident. If you feel confident, then your Pokémon will trust you more."

"Ok, let's get ready, Plusle," Annie said.

"Now Minun, don't you go easy on Plusle."

Cirie said, "I will facilitate as the judge of this practice battle. This will be a one-on-one battle. This battle will commence now!"

"Annie, we'll let you have the first move."

"Umm ok, Plusle, use Spark attack."

"Minun, dodge it."

"Aww, we missed."

"Our turn, Minun use Quick Attack!" Plusle fell. "Annie! You have to react faster. In a Pokémon battle, trainers must make decisions on the spot. Plusle will not know what to do unless you tell her. You and Plusle must work as a team."

"Umm Plusle, use Electro Ball!"

"Minun, send the Electro Ball flying back with your tail."

"Plusle, dodge."

"Good job, Annie!" Cirie cheered.

"Plusle, use Electro Ball again!"

"Minun, send it back hard this time!" The Electro Ball was flying back rapidly this time and Plusle fell.

"Dang it, we didn't have enough time to dodge. Plusle, good job though!"

"Minun, that was great. You sent it back faster this time. Your agility and reflexes have improved. Now, this battle ain't over yet. Use Quick Attack and Thunder Punch."

Minun's Quick Attack and Thunder Punch combination caused Plusle to faint.

Cirie interrupted, "This battle is over. Plusle is unable to battle."

"Plusle, are you ok?" Annie asked.

Seth said, "It looks like Plusle will do just fine. Let's get her to Nurse Joy to heal."

After giving Plusle to Nurse Joy to let her rest, Seth decided to let Annie know his evaluation.

Seth lectured, "Annie, you done well at your first battle, but like everyone, we all have flaws in our first battle. First, you need to work on your communication with Plusle. There has to be a clear path of a communication between the trainer and their Pokémon. I think we should master that first, but on the second hand, Plusle needs to be able to have fast reflexes so she can dodge better like Minun. And I know Plusle can be flexible and fast since she can excel in doing somersaults. We can do more exercises and training battles to help you two practice that."

Dillon said, "And don't be afraid to call out attacks or moves. If you make a mistake, there is always a solution to fix it. You just need to be more aware of the battlefield and everything going on around it."

Cirie liked how Seth care about Annie. " _I wonder if he has feelings for her. Poor Annie, she must choose between two people eventually. One man will surely have his heart broken_."

"Hey, I'm on dinner duty. Any requests?"

"Yes, a delicious serving of you." Seth said as he lifted up Cirie's right hand.

"What?! You silly goose. Eat your own hand."

Annie and Dillon smiled at Cirie's naivety.

Dillon said, "I want your famous noodle salad!"

"I want your delicious honey buiscuits and fruit salad."

"Coming right up!" Cirie said.

Seth said, "I'll help you!"

~In the kitchen~

"Why are you making dinner? Can't we eat at the dining hall?" Seth asked.

"I'm tired of that dining hall food. I prefer to make my own food." Cirie stated.

"You really like cooking, don't you."

"I really do. I been cooking since I was young. It has always been a hobby of mine. Something about cooking makes me feel accomplished. Just imagine a bunch of plain and boring food like these noodles and lettuce get turned into a delicious plate of noodle salad. That transformation is a delight to see. It's beautiful to watch your very own hands make an entire meal, and especially for those you love."

" _She's so poetic_. _I'm falling in love more and more._ "

"Since you're standing there doing nothing, can you at least chop those tomatoes over there?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Now I need a pot to boil the noodles."

Seth finished chopping the tomatoes and gave them to Cirie. As Cirie mixed them in with the lettuce, she thought, " _Should I tell him he has no shot with Annie? ...No, I don't want to hurt his feelings, but his feelings might get hurt even more if this drags much further … Ehh, I'll wait until the time._ "

* * *

Well, that is it for this chapter! What do you think of Annie's strategy? Will it work? How will Janelle react to Annie? Is Cirie that naive?

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow

Nuzleaf


	17. Chapter 14: A Contest Debut!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

{Ladies and Gentlemen, the anticipation is all over because the Verdenturf Town Contest is about to begin! Please, welcome your emcees: Vivian Meridian and Tony Blyde!}

A man and woman walked onto the stage. Vivian was wearing a pink ballroom dress. Her long, wavy hair was a golden color. Tony was wearing a fancy three-piece navy suit with his hair slicked back. Vivian was holding onto Tony''s arm while walking out.

"Good Morning, Verdenturf Town!" Vivian said.

"And I hope you're all ready for some red, hot contest performances!" Tony added.

"Say Tony, isn't there something special about this contest?"

"Why yes Vivian. This contest is one of the last two remaining contests before the upcoming Grand Festival that is quickly approaching. So you can be sure to expect the coordinators to give their top notch performances."

"Not just that, but we haven't hosted a contest in Verdenturf Town in three years!"

"You're right, Vivian. It's great to be back to town where gentle winds roll across the land!"

"Well, today there won't be a gentle wind because we all know the coordinators will whip up a strong gust of performances! Now, let's not waste any second and meet our esteemed panel of judges! First up, we have Mr. Contesta, the Contest director."

"Hello, It's great to be back in Verdenturf Town!" Mr. Contesta said.

Tony continued to announce, "Next we have Mr. Sukizo, director of the Pokémon Fan Club!"

"Remarkable! Happy to be here!" Mr. Sukizo happilly greeted.

Vivian concluded, "And finally, Verdenturf Town's one and only Nurse Joy!"

"Thank you! I already gave all these Pokémon a thorough examination and you can be sure that everyone will give their hundred percent!"

"Thank you judges! Let's not waste anytime and proceed to coordinator number one, Jessica!" Vivian said.

Annie was in the back stage waiting room with Dillon. She was dressed in the pink dress she got from Lisia.

"I'm feeling kind of nervous," Annie said as she watched the first performance on screen.

"Just remain calm, you don't want you make up to melt," Dillon sarcastically assured.

Plusle sensed that her trainer was feeling anxious so she touched her trainer in support. Dillon gave Annie a hug for comfort. Janelle walked in and was stunned to see her crush hugging her new adversary.

" _This is so unfair. She gets scouted by Lisia and love from my man. Well she can have one, but she can't have both_."

Meanwhile, the contest continued. Coordinators after coordinators gave their best performance on the appeal stage. A young man named Kyle was giving his performance. He was dressed in overalls and wearing a straw hat. His partner was Rapidash and both gave a fiery circus performance.

Seth commented, "Just watch how skillfully that Rapidash jumped through its own ring of fire."

"It sure is fast, too," Cirie added.

"I'm sure its trainer raised it well. It must have taken a lot of hours of training to perfect that speed, skill, and accuracy."

"I wonder when will Annie make her appearance."

"Be patient."

"Audience, let's see what are judges gave Kyle and his wonderful performance," Vivian said. "26.2!"

Tony added, "Why that's the highest score in the contest yet!"

"Let's give a hand to Kyle and his Rapidash and let's welcome our next contestant Earl!"

A young man wearing a white dress shirt and black pants with suspenders walked out to the stage. A Pokéball hovered over his shoulder.

"Seth, Is that Pokéball hovering over his shoulder?" Cirie wondered.

Seth was amazed and replied, "I can't believe it. I think that young man has telekinesis powers."

"Amazing! Looks like Earl is controlling that Pokéball with telekinesis powers!" Tony announced.

"It seems like Earl has our judges and the entire audience in rapture," Vivian added.

"It's time to dazzle the audience," Earl said.

A white light glowed from the Pokéball and a Mr. Mime appeared. Without a single command, rings of white circles appeared around Mr. Mime. Suddenly, the mime Pokémon's eyes glowed blue. Simultaneously, a blue light surrounded the circles and scattled them across the stage in the air. The circles glowed and sparkled in midair creating a dazzling affect. Earl snapped his finger and a rainbow color glow surrounded Mr. Mime. The light grew brighter and a ball of energy lifted into midair and shined like a disco ball. The whole stadium was hooked onto the performance. After the light dissipated, the white circles clashed into each other and rainbow colored energy bursted out like fireworks. The entire audience roared as they marvel at Earl's performance.

"Folks, this is such a sight to see! Thank you Earl for that wonderful performance!" Vivian said.

Tony added, "Even though a command was not heard, it seems clear that both Earl and Mr. Mime were in perfect sync. Now, let's see what score the judges decided to give Earl and his Mr. Mime!"

"Oh my gosh! A 30! A perfect score! Earl has leaped above the pack into first place."

Annie watched from back stage and thought, " _Wow, what a performance. How can I compete against that?_ "

"That was amazing!" Cirie squealed.

Dillon noted, "I hope Annie is not too intimidated by this performance. I can't believe he gave that performance without saying a single command."

"Because he used telekinesis powers," Seth explained.

"Yeah, I heard people who have those psychic powers can communicate with their Pokémon with their minds. What were the moves he used?" Cirie said.

"I think they were Hidden Power, Psychic, and Dazzling Gleam."

"It's time to move on to our next performance. Contestant No. 22, you're up!" Vivian introduced.

Janelle was contestant no. 22 and she walked onto the stage wearing a yellow evening gown.

" _It's her?_ " Dillon noted.

"Roselia! Take the stage!" Janelle said.

"Wow! Instead of a Pokémon appearing from a Pokéball, beautiful pink petals appear! So beautiful!" Vivian commented.

Tony added, "And now a mirage of Magical leaves!"

"Roselia," Janelle said.

"And there it is appearing right beside its trainer. Judges, what score shall Janelle receive?" Tony said.

Vivian commented, "Gorgeous, the Petal Dance and Magical Leaf combination is leaving the audience a spring time vibe in the Verdenturf stadium and look at that. Roselia is doing a lovely dance for the audience."

"A 28.5! That is high score for sure!"

Backstage, Annie was feeling more anxious watching coordinator after coordinator get high scores. As her turn approaches faster and faster, she kept feeling an enormous amount of pressure on her shoulders to do better.

"Contestant No. 25 and 26, you're up," a stage director announced backstage to the coordinators.

Back on the stage, Tony announced, "Let's give a big hand to Juanita as she exits the stage. Now let's welcome Contestant No. 25, please give a big hand to Annie!"

"She's up!" Cirie noted.

"This is Annie's contest debut so let's welcome her as she appears on stage for the first time!" Vivian said.

Annie was shocked by the audience and the bright lights. Her arms were becoming sweaty and her legs were feeling numb. She stood at the center of stage in her pink dress and high heels.

"Dear, please present your Pokémon."

Seth noted, "This is not good, I think she has stage fright."

Annie nervously said, "Oh, I'm sorry. C'mon out Plu-u-..." She slipped and fell.

"Oh my, dear are you ok," Vivian said with concern as she lent a hand.

"I'm fine, Thank you. Now, c'mon out Plusle!"

Tony noted, "Wow, that somersault coming out the Pokéball was definitely skillful."

"And so cute as well!" Vivian added.

"N-now, Plusle! Do a somersault into the air while using spark!" Annie commanded

"It worked!" Cirie said.

"Now Plusle, use Electro Ball and juggle them."

As Plusle was juggling, she did a dance. The audience was happy watching the cute, small Electric-type Pokémon. However, Plusle sensed that her trainer was nervous and lost her rhythm. One Electro Ball slipped from her hand and fell to stage causing a small explosion. This caused the other balls of electricity to fall consecutively and caused a huge explosion. Plusle became hurt.

"Plusle, no!"

"This is not good," Seth said.

Cirie expressed, "I can't watch."

Annie dropped to the floor on her knees and said, "Plusle, are you ok?" She held Plusle in hands and cried. The audience was in silence as they watched Annie on stage. Backstage, Janelle was filled with excitement on the inside.

" _Some miraculous encounter Lisia found. What a flop performance. She'll never be a Top Coordinator._ "

Annie went backstage and sat in the corner to avoid contact with other people. She felt embarrassed and sad that she let Plusle down. Dillon, Cirie, and Seth walked into the room. They stood around her to provide support and sympathize with the pain she's feeling.

"I sucked. Plusle worked so hard out there. All I saw was the smile she had on her face. But I sucked. I had to mess everything up on stage." Annie painfully said as she cried.

"I'm sorry," Cirie said.

"I never thought how embarassing it is to mess up."

"It hurts Annie," Seth said.

Cirie added, "It hurts, a lot." She rubbed on Annie's back to comfort her.

"I never should have entered. What was I thinking? I thought I could have used this opportunity to find my father, but never knew it would take this much embarassment."

Meanwhile, as Annie sobbed backstage, the contest proceeded. Earl and Janelle both made it to the second round and eventually at the final stage. In just under three minutes, Earl and his Mr. Mime were able to come from behind and win the whole contest. The judges noted that this win gave him his fifth ribbon and his chance to compete in the Grand Festival.

* * *

Here it is! This is my first contest chapter! Hope you all liked it! Please leave your comments below on what you think.

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow

Nuzleaf


	18. Chapter 15: The Contest Fallout!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

Hi, it's been a while since I posted a story, but I've busy with some things. Here is the next chapter which continues the fallout of Annie's first contest. Enjoy!

* * *

It was nighttime in Verdenturf Town. Annie looked out of the window of her bedroom at the Pokémon Center. She thought about her recent loss in the Pokémon Contest as she gazed upon the half moon shining in the sky.

" _Father, where are you? Did you see me on t.v. yesterday?_ " She thought.

The young girl kept replaying the performance in her mind all she felt was guilt and shame. As she continued to think about it; she cried more and more.

" _It's all my fault. What did I get myself into? Why did I think this would help? All I did was make a fool of myself._ "

Suddenly, she felt a tug on her pajamas. She looked down and saw Fennekin.

"Oh, hi Fennekin." she sadly greeted and picked up the small fire fox Pokémon.

As she scratches Fennekin behind the ears, she continued to think about her childhood memories with her father and ways she can find him.

* * *

The next morning, Cirie was doing her daily meditation, Seth was reading the newspaper at the dining hall, Dillon was showering, and Annie was still in bed. When Dillon finished showering, he got dressed and walked to the dining hall. He got in line to order his food and he recognized the person in front of him was Janelle.

"You're Janelle, right?" Dillon asked the girl in front of him.

Janelle turned around and saw Dillon. She blushed and said, "Yes."

"You were in the recent contest. Congrats on making to the final round. Your Roselia was beautiful."

"Thank you! I'm sure your Pokémon are really beautiful as well. Do you want to join me for breakfast?"

"I'm actually going to eat with my friend. He's over there. Do you want to join us?"

Dillon pointed to Seth sitting at a booth.

Janelle answered happilly, "Sure!"

"Good Morning Seth," Dillon greeted.

Seth responded, "Good Morning Dillon. A friend?"

"We just met actually. Seth, this is Janelle. Janelle, this is my friend, Seth." Dillon introduced.

"A pleasure to meet you," Janelle said.

The three of them ate their breakfast. As the three ate and talk, Janelle's heart was beating fast. She couldn't believe she was sitting across from her crush. All she did was stare at Dillon's handsome, porcelain skin and sparkling green eyes as she chewed her food slowly. When Seth asked Janelle a question, she dropped her fork in response.

"Janelle?" Seth asked.

Janelle gasped and responded, "Yeah?"

"I was trying to ask you how long have you been a coordinator."

"It has been a year since I started my journey as a coordinator and it has been fun traveling and seeing new places. I competed in numerous contests, but I was up against a lot of stiff competition many times. I currently only have three ribbons. The pink one in the center was the ribbon I won recently in Rustboro City."

Dillon asked, "You sure are an experienced coordinator."

Janelle expressed, "Thanks Dillon! That's sweet."

"I was wondering if you can share some tips with our friend."

"Sure, I would love to."

As they were talking, Cirie walked into the dining hall.

Cirie greeted, "Hey guys!"

"Hi Cirie," Dillon said.

"Is this a new friend?"

"Yes, we were just getting acquainted."

"My name is Cirie. What's yours?"

Janelle introduced, "Janelle, it is nice to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you two. Excuse me as I go grab some tea."

"So Dillon, who is this friend you're speaking of?"

Dillon responded, "Her name is Annie."

" _Annie?!_ "

"She also competed in the contest. However, she didn't make the first round and feels pretty sad. I was hoping you can talk to her."

Seth added, "That sounds like a great idea! You guys might like each other and be rivals. It is always good to have a rival to help yourself improve."

Janelle thought, " _Rival? How can they compare her to myself? She sucked at the contest, but maybe I can be friends with her to make her seem like a fool even more._ "

Cirie walked back to her friends and sat next to Janelle.

Cirie asked, "Do you two know where Annie is? Is she still in bed?"

"I think so. She stayed up pretty late last night. I'll see if she's awake." Dillon said.

Dillon went to check in their bedroom and saw Annie still sleeping in bed.

"Annie, wake up," Dillon said.

When Annie pulled down the covers, Dillon couldn't help but noticed her swollen eyes.

"Annie, are you ok? Have you been crying last night?"

She nodded.

Dillon asked, "Do you want to get some breakfast? Seth and Cirie are in the dining hall waiting for us."

Annie said as she cried, "Dillon, I'm heart broken right now. How am I going to find my father? Why did I think I can become a coordinator. I just made a fool of myself on television."

"Annie, there will always be setbacks, but the important thing is how we overcome them. It is more important that we persevere than to give up. It sounds like you want to give up and I don't want you to do that. I want to see the Annie I met in the field of flowers. Seth, Cirie, and I will help you go through this journey. We also met a new friend who said she can help. She's a Pokėmon coordinator, too. Do you want to meet her? She's at the dining hall with Seth and Cirie."

Annie got dressed and went to the dining hall with Dillon.

"Hey guys, we're here." Dillon said.

"Good morning Annie, are you feeling better?" Cirie asked.

"A little. Thank you." Annie said.

Dillon said, "Annie, this is Janelle. She was in the recent contest. You guys should exchange information."

"Hi Annie, my name is Janelle. I'm sorry you didn't make it to the second round. I could tell that you and your Pokėmon were probably nervous. You just have to remember you Pokėmon will be nervous if their trainer gets nervous. Only when you have confidence is when both of you can shine. Have you been feeding you Pokėmon Pokėblocks?" Janelle said.

Annie responded, "Yes. I spent a day to make my recipe."

"A day?! Pokėmon coordinators usually take months to create their Pokėblock recipe. It will take a lot of patience, time, and experimentation to perfect the right Pokėblock for your Pokėmon."

Seth added, "That does make sense. Differen Pokėmon will like different Pokėblock."

"That's right. Making Pokėblocks are considered to be the basics every Pokėmon coordinators should know. It took me a while to come up with the perfect recipe for my Roselia and until this day, I am stil making changes. So, Annie, I would suggest you start with having a good Pokėblock recipe first. Oh look at the time, I have things to do so I'll be on my way. Excuse me, Cirie."

Janelle made her way out of the dining hall.

" _Just you wait girl, I'll make your life miserable and I will get to Dillon's heart._ " Janelle thought.

Cirie said, "Hey guys, I was talking to Nurse Joy at first and she said the nearest gym closest to here was in Rustboro City and the fastest way to get to Rustboro City is by taking the Rusturf Light Rail Transit."

"Rusturf Light Rail Transit?" Annie asked.

Seth explained, "Yes, the Rusturf Light Rail Transit connects Verdenturf Town and Rustboro City. It is a faster alternative than walking through the Rusturf Tunnel. Additionally, the Rusturf Light Rail Transit is part of an intricate transit system in Rustboro City. I can show it to you on a map. Rustboro City has the largest transit system in the Hoenn Region. There is an underground metro that goes throughout the city. The Rusturf light rail was a recent extension for the transit system."

"That is a lot of transit lines," Dillon said.

Cirie added, "There are twenty metro lines to be exact!"

"Twenty? I hope we will be able to find our way around."

"We will! I been to Rustboro plenty of times. Plus, It is also fun to get lost sometimes."

After eating breakfast, Annie, Dillon, Cirie, and Seth packed up their things and took the light rail to Rustboro City.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a van somewhere in Verdentuf Town, Sebastian and his henchmen were getting scolded.

"What!? How come you let him get away again? He is just a kid. How hard it is to catch him? You idiots are useless." said a voice on a phone call.

Sebastian said, "Sir, we tried, but the boy has enlisted allies to help him."

"I don't care! Try something and anything to get him back to me. I have a meeting. Remember to bring him back alive."

Sebastian hanged up the phone.

"Sir," one of Sebastian's henchmen said.

"What?!" Sebastian said angrily.

"Why don't we separate the four of them. They are strong in numbers, but if we separate them, maybe that will weaken them."

"Yes, let's do that." Sebastian snickered.

* * *

Here is chapter 15! Hope you all enjoyed it! What did you think of the relationship between Annie and Janelle? Stay tuned to find out.

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow

Nuzleaf


	19. Chapter 16: A Sudden Separation!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

The gang made it to Rustboro City via the Rusturf Light Rail Transit. They transferred to the Rustboro Underground Metro at the transfer station. At the station, still east of Rustboro, they could see the Rustboro Skylines.

"Is that Rustboro City over there?" Annie asked.

Seth responded, "We are actually in the outskirts of Rustboro City. The metro will take us there."

Cirie added, "Annie, Dillon, you guys are new to Hoenn. Those tall buildings are the tallest in the city and the one at the center is the tallest. It is the Devon Corporation. The Devon Corporation is company that makes all sort of technology gadgets for Pokémon trainers from Pokéballs to the Pokémon Navigator or PokéNav for short."

"What is a Pokémon Navigator?" Dillon asked.

Seth answered, "A Pokémon Navigator is an electronic device that has many helpful features such as maps, tourist information, and even a Match Call feature for Pokémon trainers to request battles with each other."

Cirie added, "There is so much to do in Rustboro City. One thing I do when always come here is to go shopping!"

"Shopping!" Annie said happilly.

Cirie said, "Yes, there are many cute clothes and shoes. I will take you to the best shopping malls. Plus, shopping might just help you gain confidence. I find it refreshing whenever to buy a new outfit whenever I feel stressed and tired."

"Don't you eventually figure out you're the same stressed out and tired person," Seth teased.

"Yeah, that's why I buy shoes!"

Dillon said, "I would love to check out the Battle Club and the gym."

Seth said, "Let's head to the Pokémon Center and get situated first."

"Where is the center?" Annie asked.

Cirie answered, "According to the map, we need to take the blue line and transfer at the Rustboro Training Academy station to the red line which will take us straight to the Pokémon Center station."

* * *

Everyone bought their tickets for the underground metro and took two train lines to arrive at the Pokémon Center. The Rustboro Pokémon Center was a large facility. The building was seven stories high with a state of the art gym facility, a large food court, lounges, a bowling alley, and multiple shops. The metro station was on the lowest basement floor, which was two floors beneath the main reception floor. The gang went to Nurse Joy and allowed their Pokémon to rest. All four of them decided to do some sightseeing around the city. They went on top of a tall skyscraper and got to see the entire city of Rustboro from the top. There were numerous shops and eateries. Seth went alone to a jewelry shop and bought a heart shaped gold necklace for Cirie. Dillon bought a black windbreaker jacket since his leather jacket was ripped during the fight he had with Sebestian. Annie bought a new swim suit along with a few accessories for Fennekin and Plusle. The four had a time of bonding and laughter. After the long day, they head back to the Pokémon Center to rest.

* * *

The next day, Dillon was eagered to take on the Rustboro gym. Dillon and his friends took the metro from the Pokémon Center station to the Rustboro Gym station. Luckily, the gym leader Roxanne was at the gym and accepted Dillon's gym battle request.

The judge announced, "This 2-on-2 gym battle between leader Roxanne and challenger Dillon will now begin!"

Roxanne said, "Geodude, I choose you!"

A rock Pokémon with a body and arms hovering in the air appeared on the battlefield.

"Seviper, I choose you!" Dillon said.

Seth noted, "This is an interesting match up. A rock type versus a poison type. Geodude technically has the upper hand being resistant to poison types. However, we shall see what is Dillon's strategy."

"We will let you have the first attack," Roxanne said.

Dillon said, "Alright, Seviper use Glare!"

Seviper's eyes glowed red and glared at Geodude causing Geodude to be paralyzed.

"Now, strike with Iron Tail!"

Seviper's tail glowed white and swung his tail at Geodude. However, Geodude was able to still dodge.

"How could it dodge so fast?"

Roxanne said, "Good move, but remember, this is a gym battle. A simple glare won't be enough to stop Geodude. Now it is our turn! Geodude, use Rollout!"

Geodude spun quickly in a ball towards Seviper and caused damage.

Seth noted, "Rollout increases in strength each consecutive time it is used. Dillon better watch out."

"You can do it, Dillon!" Annie yelled.

"Seviper, hang in there. Geodude is fast, but use Earthquake to stop it in its tracks."

Seviper slammed down onto the ground causing an earthquake to form. The shockwaves spread throughout the battlefield and halted Geodude in its tracks. Geodude received damaged from the earthquake.

"Bingo! Ground type attacks are super effective against Rock types like Geodude!" Cirie said.

"Oh dear," Roxanne said.

"Now, Seviper, finish with Iron tail!" Dillon commanded.

Seviper's tail glowed white and swung his tail. This time, the attack striked Geodude and thereby causing it to faint.

The judge proclaimed, "Geodude is unable to battle!"

Roxanne complimented, "Not bad, Good job on defeating Geodude, but this next Pokémon won't be so easy! Nosepass, I choose you."

A rock type Pokémon with a red, triangular nose appeared on the battlefield.

The judge said, "This second match between Nosepass and Seviper will now begin!"

Roxanne said, "We'll strike first this time! Nosepass, use Rock Tomb!"

A pile of rocks surrounded and trapped Seviper.

"Seviper, stay calm and use your Iron tail to break free!" Dillon commanded.

Seviper used his Iron Tail attack to break free of the rocks.

"Excellent, but now Nosepass, use Sandstorm!"

Nosepass created a Sandstorm that surrounded the entire battlefield.

"Seviper, stay still and listen for Nosepass."

Nosepass used the compass on its nose to detect Seviper.

"Nosepass, use Zap Cannon!"

Nosepass released an electric shock and shocked Seviper. Seviper became paralyzed. The sandstorm subsided.

"Seviper, can you use earthquake?" Dillon asked.

Seviper was paralyzed and could not move.

"If you're not attacking, we will! Nosepass, use Rock Tomb!"

Nosepass used Rock Tomb and trapped Seviper in a pile of rocks. The rocks shattered and Seviper fainted.

The judge said, "Seviper is unable to battle! Nosepass is the winner!"

"Seviper, good job! Tyrogue, I choose you!" Dillon said.

"Ah a fighting type," Roxanne said.

"This last match between Nosepass and Tyrogue wil now begin," the judge announced.

"Tyrogue! Run quickly and use Brick Break!" Dillon commanded.

Tyrogue had good speed. He ran up to Nosepass, jumped up, and was about to hit. However, Nosepass was able to lock onto Tyrogue's position and blocked the hit.

"Nosepass, use Sandstorm! Keep locking onto Tyrogue's position." Roxanne said.

Nosepass whipped up another sandstorm and pinned Tyrogue down to the battlefield.

"Tyrogue, you can break free," Dillon encouraged.

With encouragement from his trainer, Tyrogue managed to escape.

" _Nosepass keeps locking onto Tyrogue; I need to confuse it._ " Dillon thought.

"Tyrogue, run around Nosepass!"

Tyrogue ran quickly around Nosepass. Nosepass could not easily lock onto Tyrogue's position.

"Use Low Sweep!"

Tyrogue ran behind Nosepass and swept Nosepass off its feet causing it to fall.

Dillon commanded, "Use Brick Break!"

Tyrogue finished with a super effective Brick Break attack which caused Nosepass to faint.

"Nosepass is unable to battle! The winner is Dillon the challenger!"

"Wow, it was a good strategy to use speed to his advantage. By running quickly around Nosepass, Tyrogue was able to confuse Nosepass by disorienting the compass on its nose." Seth complimented.

"That was a great battle!" Cirie added.

Roxanne presented the gym badge to Dillon and said, "Congratulations Dillon, for your victory here at the Rustboro gym. I present to you the Stone Badge. Congratulations!"

* * *

The next day, Annie, Dillon, Seth, and Cirie were sitting in the food court eating their breakfast. There was a large television screen at the food court. The television screen was broadcasting the news and, suddenly, Vivian Meridian appeared on the screen to announced the latest contest news.

Vivian Meridian announced on tv, "Thank you, Bill. For contest-related news, we just wrapped up the recent Verdenturf Town Contest with Earl and his Mr. Mime taking home the Verdenturf Ribbon!"

Bill, another news anchor, said, "You know, and was this the final contest before the upcoming Grand Festival."

"Why yes, Bill. Thanks for pointing that out! All coordinators who won five ribbons are eligible to compete and I imagine they are all making their last minute preparations."

"Where will it be located, Vivian."

"Right here in Rustboro City! The Grand Festival will be held in the grand Rustboro Stadium which hosted many prestigious battles back in the day."

"Well, we wish all the coordinators competing the best of luck in the Grand Festival."

The gang stayed to attend the Grand Festival which happened for a whole week. After the Grand Festival was over, the first contest happening in Fallarbor Town.

Vivian appeared on the Pokemon TV screen.

Vivian announced, "Now that the exciting Grand Festival has wrapped up, it is time to announced the contests for this upcoming year! We want to congratulate our new top coordinator in Earl once again! He did a great job! Win well deserved. However, as one festival ends, another is in the works. The first contest will be held in Fortree City and one will happen in Fallarbor Town in three weeks! We hope to see you all on stage, new coordinators or familiar faces!"

Seth noted, "Fallarbor Town is actually not too far from here. It is actually just beyond Meteor Falls which is where Professor Birch wanted me to pick up a Pokémon egg."

"Let's finish our breakfast and head out," Cirie said.

* * *

After breakfast, the group rented a Ponyta ride service they can take starting at the outskirts of Rustboro City. So, they rode the metro to the northern outskirts and rented a Ponyta ride service which will take them a few miles north. As they were riding along, men in black ninja outfits suddenly appeared from midair. One of them grabbed Cirie and ran off.

"Help!" Cirie yelled.

Seth wanted to chase after Cirie, but Seth and Dillon were distracted by the other men. Dillon knew it was Sebastian's goons. Dillon sent out Tyrogue and the both of them engaged in a martial arts combat with their enemies.

Dillon said, "Tyrogue, let's defeat them like we did before. Seth run after Cirie while we distract them."

"Alright, Swellow and Nuzleaf, come on out! Help me stop these thieves! Swellow use Wing Attack. Nuzleaf, use Rzaor Leaf!" Seth said.

Swellow and Nuzleaf knocked down the men blocking Seth's path with their respective moves. Seth ran frantically after the men with Swellow and Nuzleaf. Dillon and Tyrogue continued fighting the men. Annie and the Ponyta service man watch on the cart helplessly. As Dillon continued to fight, one men got on the cart and pushed the service man off and grabbed the reigns to get away with Annie on board.

"Dillon, help me! They're taking me away!" Annie screamed on the cart.

Dillon watched as the cart rolled away and chased after it with Tyrogue. Dillon managed to catch up to the cart and engaged in a hands on combat with the man on board while the cart was still moving. The cart was bouncing up and down due to the rugged terrain. Dillon was able to push the man off the cart. However, Ponyta was still scared and kept running.

"Annie, are you ok?" Dillon asked. He hugged Annie to try to comfort her, but both were worried since Ponyta was still running. "Annie, I want you to hold onto me. DO not let me go. We will have to jump off the cart. I practiced this in my training so I need you to trust me."

"Ok," Annie said.

"Hold on tight."

Annie clung around Dillon's waist. The cart was moving at a fast speed through a barren field. Dillon jumped off the cart and both landed on the ground safely.

"Annie, we need to run and hide somewhere. It's too open here. They might be following us. I need you to run."

Dillon held onto Annie's hands and both ran away. Dillon spots a forest in the distance. The henchmen continued to chase after them.

* * *

Well that's it for this chapter! What did you think about the gym battle? Finally I was able to finish the first gym battle chapter! And what will happen to the gang now that they are separated. Will Dillon be captured and taken back?

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf


	20. Chapter 17: The Ties that Bind

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

After a startling encounter on their way to Fallarbor Town, the gang was split into two directions. Dillon and Annie were escaping on foot to a nearby forest from Sebastian's henchmen. Once they reached an area with trees to hide out, they stopped to catch their breath.

"Annie, are you alright?" Dillon said concerningly.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." Annie said.

Dillon turned toward a tree and hits it with his fist.

"I'm sorry. You guys didn't have to go through that. We don't even know how Seth and Cirie are doing. I knew I should have left first."

He kept pounding the tree out of anger. Annie ran to Dillon and hugged him from behind.

"Dillon, stop. Please stop hurting yourself. We promised you that we will get through this together. Just like you said you'll help me find my father, I'll help save you from yours. Please stop. You're not alone."

"Why must I live like this? Annie, I'm hurt."

"Dillon, we need to find a better place to hide. Let's keep on moving."

* * *

The two of them continued to run through the forest and came upon a large river. Dillon analyzed the water to see if it is safe to drink. He shaped a leaf into a small cup and grabbed some water for Annie to drink. He saw a fisherman boat in the distance.

Dillon said, "Annie, let's go to that boat. We can hide out there."

They walked over and saw a fisherman.

"Hi sir, can we get a ride with you? Some bad people are on our tails. Here is some money." Dillon explained.

The fisherman said, "Alright, I am just about to leave anyways. You came at the right time. Bon Voyage!"

The boat went some distance down the river. Annie was sitting outside getting some fresh air.

"Annie, we just fell off a running cart. If you're hurting, make sure to tell me. Are you hurting anywhere?"

Annie responded, "No I'm fine, but I am thirsty again. Can you get me some water?"

"Yeah, of course."

Dillon went inside a small shed to get some water. All of sudden, Two of Sebastian's henchmen came out of the river, grabbed Annie, and plunged back into the river. All Dillon heard was Annie screaming and he quickly went outside.

Dillon screamed, "Annie! Annie!"

Two other henchmen jumped out of the river and proceeded to attack Dillon. Dillon quickly reacted by jumping on top of the shed. He did a flip and kicked the men with full force into the river. Dillon saw the two men with Annie further downstream of the river. He jumped into river to rescue her. He swam as quickly and efficiently as he could. The two men he pushed tried to grab him, but Dillon dived into the river and bypassed them. One of the men dived in as well and quickly grabbed his left foot. Dillon did a somersault to escape and kicked the man's face in the process.

As Dillon was about to reach Annie, one of the men holding her turned around and launched a knife at Dillon. Dillon quickly dodged the knife. However, the man was skilled, too. He was able to swim behind Dillon and attempted to stop him by plunging the knife close to his throat. Dillon quickly grabbed his hand and just barely avoided the weapon. Dillon grabbed the knife with his other hand, pulled the man to be in front of him, and slitted his throat.

" _My master taught me to never kill, but today, I will defy his orders._ " Dillon recalled.

Dillon proceeded to swiftly stab the other two men swimming behind him. Afterwards, he swam towards Annie as quickly as he could. Annie also tried to escape, but the man was holding her with a strong grip.

"Let go of me!' Annie yelled at the man as she splashed the water.

"Annie!" Dillon yelled from a distance.

"Dillon!"

Annie then turn towards the man and bit him as hard as she can. The man screamed and let go. She tried to swim toward Dillon by kicking her feet and extending her arm to reach him. Dillon extended his arm to try to reach her. As he swam closer, he saw fear and vulnerability in her eyes which motivated him to swim faster. Suddenly, the man plunged a knife on Annie's back. Dillon witnessed the plunged and was shocked. Annie felt the pain and began to slowly sink. Dillon mustered up his energy and grabbed Annie away from the man. Feeling enraged, Dillon lunged his knife at the man and stab his chest. He turned around and saw Annie sinking further down river. He swam down to retrieve her.

On the boat, the fisherman screamed, "Sir! Where are you?!"

All of a sudden, Dillon came up with an unconcious Annie.

"Annie," Dillon said frantically while holding her.

"Sir, what happened?! Get on the boat!"

Dillon puts Annie down on the boat.

"Annie! Annie! Annie! Wake up! Please! You can't leave me like this! Please!"

"Quickly, blow through her mouth."

Dillon blew through her mouth in an attempt to allow air flow through her lungs; however, it did not work.

"I don't think it worked."

"Press on her chest. We need to get the water out."

"Annie, Annie, please breathe. Please breathe. You can do this. I can't live without you. You give me the strength to live."

The young boy repeated press the girl's chest in an attempt to save her. All of a sudden, Annie coughed out water and was able to breathe again. Dillon released a sigh of relief and hugged Annie.

He said with anger, "Annie, I really want to kill myself right now."

Annie slowly said, "Dillon, my back. My back hurts."

Dillon took Annie inside the shed. While inside, Dillon saw blood dripping from the back of her clothes. The fisherman was by their side helping out.

Dillon said, "Annie, I have to remove your clothes to see how serious is the scar. Don't be shy. We're meant to be with each other."

He turned to the fisherman and said, "Sir, I need your help. I need a pair of scissors to cut open her clothes."

The fisherman said, "Yes, I should have everything you need. I have a medicine box. I'll go get it."

"Thanks."

The fisherman got the medicine box and the scissors. Dillon cuts Annie's outerwear. As he got close to the wound, he can see a large scar down her upper back. He remove the clothes from her and tried to clean up the wound a bit with a cloth. Annie tried to hold back the pain she was feeling.

"Sir, do you have a needle, string, pain killers, and candles?" Dillon asked.

The fisherman responded, "Yes, I'll get it from the box."

"Annie, when I was younger, I learned how to perform a suture procedure. It is going to hurt, but I have no choice. Drink this."

"What's this?" Annie asked.

"Pain killer medicine. Drink it."

Annie drank the medicine. Dillon heats up the needle with the candle's flame.

"Annie, rest on your stomach on the blanket."

Dillon began to stitch her wound with the needle. When the needle punctured her skin, she screamed in pain.

"Dillon, what are you doing?!"

"I'm going to stitch up your wound."

"Stitch?!"

Dillon meticulously stitched the wound. With every needle puncture, Dillon felt Annie's pain through her scream. Even the fisherman standing by felt uneasy and couldn't look. Annie cried in pain. She was scared and screamed as she gripped hard on the blanket. It felt like a thousand more knives plunged down her back.

"My cloth... In my pocket…" Annie said.

Dillon said, "What cloth? My hands are busy. We're almost done."

After an intense procedure, Dillon sat Annie back up.

"We're done, I will remove the string in a week."

The fisherman said, "That was impressive young man. You can keep the money. That was not an easy procedure. You earned my respect. I'll head outside to leave you two alone."

"Thank you, sir. Annie, are you ok?"

"Cloth... Cloth... P-pocket…" Annie said slowly.

Dillon got the cloth from her clothes' pocket and gave it to Annie to comfort her. Annie rested her head on Dillon's shoulders.

"Annie, I not only stitched your wound, I also stitched you to my heart tightly so we will never be separated again."

* * *

Woah! That was one intense chapter! What did you think about Dillon and Annie's relationship so far? And what happened to Seth and Cirie? Will they go through a similar painful experience?

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf


	21. Chapter 18: I am muddled

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

After a sudden encounter with Sebastian's henchmen, Seth was chasing after them to rescue Cirie. However, the henchmen were quick and Seth could not catch up on foot.

Seth commanded, "Swellow, I choose you. Swellow, I need to find Cirie."

Seth's Swellow flew in the direction of the henchmen in an attempt to find Cirie. A few hours went by and Seth was still running and searching. He ran into a nearby forest and sent out Nuzleaf to help with the search from the trees.

"Nuzleaf, do you see Cirie?"

Nuzleaf shook his head in disappointment and kept searching. Meanwhile, the henchmanm carrying Cirie was still running through the forest.

Cirie yelled, "Put me down, you idiot! Someone help!"

The henchman, who was named Dave, said, "If you know what's good for you, shut up!"

Cirie took a hair barette from her hair and stabbed the pointy end into the Dave's leg. He yelled in response and dropped Cirie onto the ground.

He said, "Brat. I'm just trying to do my job. Stop getting on my nerves!"

Dave became annoyed, but he attempted to grab her. Cirie resisted by kicking his face. She ran the other way to escape.

" _I guess making the decision to stop eating donuts was a good thing._ " Cirie thought as she ran away.

Dave couldn't catch up to her so he blew his whistle. As Cirie gained some distance, a net dropped down and trapped her. Two men in black suits with their face covered up dropped down from the trees.

Dave ran up. He said, "Good job, let's report bring her back to the boss."

Swellow was flying above the trees and saw Cirie. She quickly flew back to report to Seth.

Meanwhile, Seth and Nuzleaf was still searching anxiously for Cirie.

"Cirie, Cirie! Where are you?" Seth yelled. "Nuzleaf, do your see Cirie from up there?"

Nuzleaf pointed to sky and Seth saw Swellow flying above.

"Swellow, did you find Cirie?"

Swellow flew around eagerly to alert Seth the correct direction. Seth followed Swellow.

Meanwhile, the henchmen arrived to Sebastian with Cirie trapped in the net. Sebastian was in a black limousine with two other lackeys.

"Sir, we got one of the team," Dave said.

Sebastian said. "Idiots, you all are idots. You can't capture a little boy. I guess we can use her as hostage."

Suddenly, Cirie yelled. She said, "Yo, since ya got the wrong person, why don't you let me go?"

"Let you go? We worked hard to capture one of you. We'll take what we can get."

"What cowards."

"What you say?"

"I said cowards! Yeah, you heard me."

"What a mouth. Tie her up and make sure to shut her mouth while you're at it. Get in the car."

As the henchmen removed the net, Cirie tried to resist and escape. She grabbed two of them by the shirt and pulled them towards each other to smash their heads. She ran away.

"Don't let her escape!" Dave yelled.

"You want to catch me, gotta be faster than that!" Cirie teased.

Sebastian yelled, "Catch her! Everyone go catch her! Hurry!"

As Cirie kept running, the henchmen kept chasing. Suddenly, a wing attack appeared out of nowhere and knocked the henchmen down.

"Cirie!" Seth yelled from a distance.

"Seth!" Cirie responded.

"Are you ok? I finally caught up to you. So, these are the people who captured you. Let me show them a lesson. Nuzleaf, use Razor Leaf! Swellow, use Wing Attack one more time!"

The mirage of leaves and wing attack knocked down the henchmen one more time.

Dave said, "How dare you interfere? Those creatures are so annoying."

Seth responded, "Let me show you what these 'creatures' can do. Go Walrein! Come on out! Walrein, use Blizzard!"

Walrein released a freezing cold snow storm and froze the henchmen.

"Let's get away, Cirie. Walrein, come back to your Pokéball! Swellow, Nuzleaf, let's go!"

Seth and Cirie took the opportunity to escape. They ran through the forest until dusk and came upon a village.

Seth said, "Cirie, are you alright? I think we're far enough from them."

"I'm ok. Just out of breath. Thanks for rescuing me back there." Cirie responded.

"You were like a Taillow flying away from danger."

"Aww that was sweet."

"Not as sweet as you."

"Whatever. Hey look! It looks like there's a village over there by the river."

"You're right! Let's head over there and spend the night there."

* * *

Seth and Cirie went to village and noted the lanterns and firey torches.

"Wow, what's going on? Everyone seems so excited. Excuse me, ma'am, What is going on?" Cirie noted.

The lady said, "I see you guys are outsiders. Today, the village head's daughter is about to do a wedding toss."

"Wedding toss?" Seth asked.

"Yes, she is about to choose someone to marry. It's an old tradition we do here at our village really. According to tradition, besides an arranged marriage, a young woman can let fate decide by doing a wedding toss in which she throws an embbroidered ball off a roof for young men to catch. The village head actually wanted her to marry someone scholarly, but she wanted to let fate decide. In addition, she wanted this to be a big night, so she wanted to throw a huge celebration."

"Wow, let's go see! Sounds fun!" Cirie said.

As Seth and Cirie walked through the bright lit streets, they noticed celebration music playing and everyone running towards the wedding toss site. Everyone was running toward a stone tower at the center of the village. There was a group of young men standing at the center of the crowd eagerly waiting for the ball to be tossed.

One villager yelled, "She should be here any minute now."

"Hey Seth, you should go for it. You're a handsome guy! Don't miss out! Grab it!" Cirie teased.

"Don't you dare. Stay away from that ball. This isn't a laughing matter." Seth said.

"Why not? You're at the age someone where people should be dating. This is the perfect oppurtunity and a great story to tell how you guys met. Just thinking about, fate allowed us to meet. It sounds so romantic."

A young man came up to Seth and Cirie.

"Please, I haven't eaten in days. Please, my grandfather is ill. My grandmother is blind. I have young siblings who are starving. Please, give whatever you can to help. I, Garrett, will be forever grateful and in your debt." Garrett said.

Cirie and Seth felt touched and gave him some money.

"Thank you. Thank you very much."

Suddenly, a few of the young men yelled, "She's coming!"

A young lady with her father, Ernest, and servants climbed up to the top of the tower.

"She's beautiful," Cirie said.

Seth responded, "Not like someone else."

Cirie became confused for a bit.

Ernest announced, The "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have you attention. Today, my daughter Ruby will toss an embroidered wedding ball and let fate decide who she should marry. If you are a single guy and between ages eighteen and twenty seven, feel free to grab the ball. If you are not in the age range or are already married, we will do a re-toss. If you are in the latter category, please do not try to grab the ball. Let's start!"

He gave the embroidered ball to his daughter. "Daughter, here you go."

Ruby received the ball and looked down at the crowd. There were many young men and all were excited to catch the ball, except for Seth. She raised the ball, closed her eyes, and tossed the ball off the tower. The ball was red and had colorful streamers attached to the side. The crowd had some fun with the toss and tossed the ball from one section of the crowd to another. Cirie got in the mix and tossed the ball to Seth. Seth was shocked and quickly knocked the ball away. The ball was tossed around some more. Cirie tossed the ball a second time to Seth. Seth, frustratingly, smacked the ball away from him. Cirie tossed the ball his way for a third time, in which Seth smacked it away again. The ball was tossed and knocked down Garret. The begger was clueless on what was going on as he holds the embroidered ball.

Cirie said, "It's you! What was your name again?"

Garrett said, "Garrett."

"The new groom is Garrett!"

The crowd chanted, "Garrett! Garrett!"

Ernest came down and took a look at his ragged and dirty clothes. He said, "This does not count. We are going to toss one more time!"

Cirie said, "Wait, why doesn't it count? He caught the ball. What age are you, Garrett? Are you married?"

Garrett answered, "I'm single and twenty years old. However, the man looks down on me. I should let it go. With a household of siblings and elders to take care of, it is ridiculous talking about a wife. Here is the rainbow ball. I return it with thanks. I dare not desire a higher status."

"Wait, who the heck are you? What kind of person does not follow through their word. Garrett completely fulfills your requirements. How much time does your daughter has to throw the ball to choose someone?"

Ernest said, "Where did you come from, little brat? How dare you meddle in my business?"

From the crowd, an elderly man yelled, "Stop arguing, let me say a word. Village Head, the young lady is correct. Garrett, young sir, you seem very humble and are an eloquent speaker. What is your education level?"

Garrett responded, "I passed the village exam. However, nothing I learned was helpful."

"What do you mean not helpful? Your future has bright prospects. Do not give up so easily. Since I came across such a large event, this private affair has been my business. Mr. Ernest, please don't suspect the poor to be after riches. I think Garrett has a great future ahead of him. Since heaven has chosen for you a son-in-law, I suggest you to accept this fate. Allen, please present my gift to the young man."

His butler, Allen, presented Garrett with three fat stacks of cash with a worth of a thousand dollars. Everyone was shocked at this gift.

Allen said, "This is a gift from my master. After you're married, remember to continue to get a good education."

Ernest said, "Please sir, how should I address you?"

The mysterious man said, "How you should address me doesn't matter? What does matter is that have you decided to let Garrett marry your daughter?"

"This?"

"Sanders, bring a piece of paper and brush."

His other butler, Sanders, said, "Master, I assumed you wanted to write. So I came prepared. Here is a paper scroll, brush, and ink. However, there is no table."

Allen said, "Master, you can write on my back."

Allen bended over to let his master to roll the scroll flat across his back. The mysterious man wrote an idiom in calligraphy that means 'Heavenly match' and presented the scroll to Ernest.

The mysterious man whispered in Ernest's ear and Ernest became shocked.

The man said, "I give you and your family my greatest blessing!"

The mysterious man walked away with Allen, Sanders, and a group of servants following behind.

Ernest turned towards Garrett and said, "Young man, you are heaven's gift to me. Everyone! Please join our family as we welcome Garrett!"

The village continued to rejoice on this magical and wondrous night.

* * *

Later in the evening, Seth took Cirie by the arm to a secluded place.

"Where are you taking me?" Cirie asked.

Seth questioned, "Why were you trying to constantly toss the wedding ball in my face and forcing me to grab it?"

"Umm, don't you think she's cute? I'm just thinking someone of your age would want to settle down and that girl seems right for you. She seems like a good house wife and with your knowledge along with your handy-man and music skills, I know her father will love you, too."

"What if I'm not interested?"

"What? You know you won't get anyone while being so picky."

"I have feelings for someone already."

"Really? Who? How come you never told me?"

"She's seems so far away, but yet always so close to me."

"Do you mean Annie? You can't love Annie. Couldn't you see that Dillan and Annie are in love? I thought you and Dillon are close. You can't be a jerk and treat your bro like that."

"How can you be so naive? How can it be Annie?"

"Then who is it? You're not being specific."

"I'm dumbfounded right now. How specific do you want me to be? It's the person who always meditate in the morning. It's the person I saved from the goons who separated us. It's the person who would criticize and tease me about my cooking. It's the Taillow that I saved from danger! Now do you know who it is."

Cirie became speechless. "Are you talking about me?"

"How many Taillows do you think I saved?"

Cirie did not know how to respond and looked away from Seth with a blank expression.

Seth said, "So you probably have never had these feelings. Maybe it's just my fantasies."

"It's just I never thought about this before. I'm muddled."

"Promise me, from now on please think about it. See me in a different identity than just a friend. The feelings Annie have for Dillon is what you can have for me, too. I know the future is uncertain, but we need to be on the same page at least right now. Cirie, I'm telling you. I love you."

* * *

Woah! Seth confessed to Cirie! Please leave a comment to let me know what you think of this chapter!

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf


	22. Chapter 19: When Time Stopped

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names, P** **okédex entries,** **and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young. Also, at the end, there is an English translation of a Chinese poem written by Li Bai of the Tang Dynasty (spoiler alert too :)).**

* * *

Somewhere in Meteor Falls, Sebastian was criticizing his henchmen for failing to capture Dillon.

"You fools!" Sebastian yelled. "How can you let a few kids outsmart you?"

" _Dillon, you little punk. You might have escaped and humiliated me. But I swear, the next time I get a hold on you. I will personally kill you and you won't even be able to say good bye to your parents._ "

* * *

After escaping Sebastian's forces, Dillon and Annie hid out in a cottage owned by the fisherman who helped them. His name was Richard and he was a middle aged man living alone in a cottage hidden in the woods of Meteor Falls. Richard was a kind gentleman; his preferred style of clothing are chest waders even when he was staying indoors. The kind fisherman owned a variety of water-type Pokėmon; he owned a Golduck, Seakings, three Goldeens, and five Magikarps. Dillon and Annie stayed at his cottage for a three days to heal. Dillon had just stitched up Annie's wound that she received from Sebastian's forces. During their stay, Dillon helped Richard with some house chores to thank him for his help and support.

On the third night at the cottage, Dillon and Annie had an intimate and special time. It was almost midnight and Annie was looking for food in Richard's kitchen. She found a bun in the refrigerator. As Annie was about to bit into it, Dillon appeared and grabbed it away from her.

Dillon said, "Don't eat that!"

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Annie questioned.

"This bun is cold and hard. You'll bite your teeth off."

"I'm starving. Give it back to me."

The two teens fought over the bun. All of sudden, they held the bun and stared at each other. They blushed and quickly looked the other way.

Dillon said, "This bun is so hard. Why don't I cook a bowl of noodles for you? Richard said we can use his kitchen to cook."

"Noodles? You know how to cook noodles? I only seen you make skewers of cooked sausages. I don't want you to burn his kitchen down." Annie said.

"Are you questioning me?"

"Yes. I only seen you make skewers of cooked sausages."

"Prepare to be amazed."

"Do you know how?"

"Of course not!"

"What?! Is it going to be edible?"

"Hey, you don't know. Just sit down and wait."

"Oh I will sit. I'm not going to help you. I'm curious to see what you can even make."

Dillon saw there were noodles, a cabbage, and some eggs in the fridge. After some time, Dillon presented a bowl of noodles and a plate of fried eggs."

Dillon said, "This is my first challenge in the kitchen. Hope Ms Annie will enjoy this."

Annie hesitated and looked at the food with a nervous smile.

" _Hmm… did he add salt to these noodles? But I do appreciate his efforts. Look at his innocent eyes. How can I criticize his efforts? He tried so hard._ " She took a bite of the eggs. " _It seems like my whole mouth is filled with egg shells._ "

Annie gave a smile and nodded at Dillon just to show that she appreciated his efforts.

"How is it?" Dillon asked.

"It's very good. Good first attempt. I love it."

"Really! Great, now I know how to cook. Expect more of my cooking in the future!"

" _More?! Maybe I was being too kind._ "

"Let me try."

"Wait."

"How come there's no taste? These eggs are also bitter and has shells."

"No, I think these noodles and eggs are very good. Taking one bite makes me want to eat more." Annie grabbed the bowl and took another bite. "I love it."

"What, this stuff is gross. How can you even eat this? Give it to me."

"I want to eat. Give it back."

"Let me take this away."

"This is good, even better than what the Richard made for us."

Annie took the bowl and ran away. Dillon caught up to her and grabbed the bowl away. Through the tiff, Dillon couldn't take his eyes away from Annie. His heart began pounding faster and felt the urge to kiss her. The two teens stared at each other passionately. Dillon removed the bowl from her hands, sat it down on the counter, and kissed her. Annie felt the boy's soft lips on her lips and she wasted no time to prolong the passionate moment.

On the next day, Annie and Dillon said farewell to Richard.

Dillon said, "Thank you for letting us stay in your cottage."

"We really appreciate it," Annie expressed.

Richard said, "No problem, both of you are welcomed to come back anytime. Golduck really enjoyed the company. By the way, if you're hoping to get past Meteor Falls and to Fallarbor Town, the fastest way would be to follow the river and go upstream. That will take you to the well-known Meteor Waterfalls. From there, just follow the path to head down the mountains."

"Thank you so much Richard. You have no idea how grateful we are." Dillon expressed.

"Good bye," Annie said.

Richard said, "Good bye! Hope we get to meet again!"

Annie and Dillon trekked up the mountain range following the river to the waterfall. As they walked further up the mountain, it became more apparent that they were at a higher and higher elevation. They could see a valley far below where they were standing. There was no more defined path. They were walking on a rocky terrain. It was past noon time. Suddenly, they heard a scream on top of a cliff.

"Bagon!" a small blue Pokėmon cried out.

"What was that?" Annie said.

A Bagon leaped off the cliff and plummeted head first straight down toward Annie and Dillon.

"It is coming so fast! Run!" Dillon yelled.

Annie and Dillon ran out the way to avoid the collision. Bagon smashed against the rocks in the ground.

"Is it ok?" Annie asked.

"I'm not sure, but let's watch from a distance to be safe." Dillon said.

Bagon shook off the pain and climbed back up the cliff, roughly about 10 meters high. Annie and Dillon watched as Bagon plunged toward the ground again. Annie took out her Pokėdex to analyze the blue Pokėmon.

The Pokėdex entry said, " _Bagon, the rock head Pokėmon. Bagon has a dream of one day soaring in the sky. In doomed efforts to fly, this Pokėmon hurls itself off cliffs. As a result of its dives, Its head has grown tough and as hard as tempered steel._ "

"Interesting, that does explain so much." Dillon said.

"It sure has perseverance," Annie noted.

"It's amazing! I do want to help it to gain that dream. I do recall that Bagon has to evolve into Shelgon and then Salamence to gain the ability to fly. I don't think Bagon belongs to any trainer. I'm going to catch it! Tyrogue, come on out. Bagon! I challenge you to a battle!"

Bagon noticed Dillon and Tyrogue and showed off an aggressive look.

"Tyrogue! Use Brick Break!"

Tyrogue was quick to attack, but missed. Bagon became agitated and lunged toward Tyrogue with a headbutt attack.

"Dodge it Tyrogue!"

Tyrogue tried to dodge, but Bagon successfully landed the hit. Bagon's hand glowed blue and attacked Tyrogue.

"I think that was a Dragon Claw attack. This Bagon is strong. Tyrogue, we have to use speed to confuse it. Run around Bagon!"

Bagon stood at the center while Tyrogue ran around in a circle.

"Use Low Sweep!"

Bagon reacted quickly and dodged the attack.

"I guess surprise attacks won't work on Bagon either. Wait, Bagon is a dragon-type and it is weak against a fairy type. Tyrogue, good job, but return to your Pokėball! Ralts, I choose you."

However, after Dillon sent Ralts out to the battlefield, Bagon became infatuated and immobilized.

Annie noted, "I think something weird is going on with Bagon."

"Do you think it might have a crush on Ralts?" Dillon wondered.

"Then, that would mean Bagon is a boy because Ralts is a girl."

"Anyways, let's not get side track. Ralt, use Disarming Voice!"

Ralts released beams of purple hearts from her mouth with a shrieking voice. The beams attacked Bagon and caused an explosion. Bagon was knocked towards the ground.

"Finish with Psychic!"

Ralts released a Psychic attack directly at Bagon and caused him to faint.

"Go Pokėball!"

Dillon tossed a Pokėball and Bagon went inside. The Pokėball flashed three times and became still. Dillon was elated that he captured a new Pokėmon.

"Ralts, we did it! I'm so proud of you!"

Annie congratulated, "Congratulations Dillon! We got a new friend!

"Bagon, come on out!"

Bagon saw Ralts and held her hands to profess his love.

"Bay-, Bagon, Bay-" Bagon said. ("I love you")

Ralts looked into Bagon's eyes and thought he was cute. Ralts fell in love as well.

"Oh boy, I think we have a second couple in our group." Dillon said.

Dillon embraced Annie while Bagon embraced Ralts. The sun was setting. Dillon and Annie decided to set up camp to rest for the night.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cirie and Seth were sitting on a cliff looking at the sunset.

Cirie said, "Seth, isn't the sunset beautiful. The mixture of red and orange light always make me want to reflect on my life. Wherever I travel to, the sunset will always remain the same. As time goes on, the sun will continue to rise above the sky in the morning and set at night."

"Time is precious. Let us take this moment in and imagine that the time is stopped." Seth said.

As the sun set, the red and orange lights fades with it. The sky became dark and the moon rose above the sky. Cirie and Seth continued to look up at the moon. Cirie rested her head on Seth's shoulder. A blanket wrapped around their bodies. She recited a poem.

She said, "This reminds of poem.

The moon shines before my bed.

And frost covers the ground.

When I raise my head, I gaze at the bright moon.

When I lower my head, I ponder my hometown."

Seth recited, "When the mountain has no edges and angles,

When the river does not flow,

When time stops making no difference between day and night,

When all things crumble to dust,

I still cannot break up with you,

Your gentle warmth is the greatest expectation in my life.

When the sun does not rise,

When the earth does not rotate,

When there is no difference between the seasons,

When all the flowers and trees withered,

I still cannot split up with you,

Your smile is the greatest reminiscence in my life."

* * *

That's it for this chapter! What did you think about this chapter? What did you think about Dillon's new addition to the team? How about Seth and Cirie's poetry? Please leave a comment below!

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Bagon: Moves: Headbutt and Dragon Claw.

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf


	23. Chapter 20: Egg-citing Time!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names, P** **okédex entries,** **and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.  
**

* * *

Seth and Cirie trudged through the mountainous roads of Meteor Falls. The two of them were looking for the Meteor Falls Lodge. Seth was supposed to get a Pokemon egg from Pokemon Ranger Jason for Professor Birch. The search was not difficult as Seth was prepared with a map and compass.

"I can't believe we made it by dusk," Cirie expressed.

"Oh, hello. Who are you two?" a voice said.

Seth introduced, "I'm Seth and this is my friend Cirie. We are looking for Ranger Jason."

The man said, "I'm Jason. You must be the guy Professor Birch sent. He told me I should be expecting you soon. Please follow me."

Seth and Cirie followed the ranger to one of his lab room. The professor revealed an egg with blue and red triangles.

Professor Jason said, "I found this egg a few days ago while I was on patrol. There was no Pokemon around the site and I didn't know where it came from so I called my friend Professor Birch to ask if he can help solve this mystery."

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon is inside," Cirie said.

Seth said, "Anyways, I can take it off your hands and make sure the egg gets back to Professor Birch safe and sound."

Jason said, "Thank you! That will be a great help. I would do it myself, but I can't leave the mountains for an extended period of time."

"I understand. It is no problem at all."

"Say, it is getting late. Why don't you two stay for the night. I can whip up a quick meal for you for coming all this way."

"Thank you! That would be great. I'm quite hungry myself."

"Then I'll go cook something right now."

Jason cooked a pot of stew for Seth and Cirie. After dinner, Seth and Cirie showered and prepared to sleep. In the morning, Jason gave Cirie and Seth a tour of the lodge. In the nursing room, they came across a lot of Pokemon that had bandages covering their bodies.

"What happened to these Pokemon?" Cirie wondered.

Jason explained, "All these Pokémon were either hurt or abandoned by their trainers in Meteor Falls. As a ranger, it is my duty to protect every Pokemon in this area."

Cirie and Seth noticed two Wurmple in a crib.

"Their so adorable even when their sleeping." Cirie noted.

Jason explained, "Those two Wurmple are actually twins hatched from two different eggs just a few days ago. Their parents are a Dustox and a Beautifly I was looking after for a trainer. The trainer did not want the two eggs so I kept them and have decided to look after them until I find them a good home."

"So, in a way, they both don't have a permanent home."

Cirie felt a sad for the Wurmple. Suddenly, one of the Wurmple woke up.

"Look, one is waking up." Cirie noted.

Seth noted, "The Wurmple seem to like you Cirie."

"Aww, the Wurmple is rubbing against my hand."

Jason answered, "That one is the girl and the one sleeping is her brother."

Cirie said, "Their heads are so soft."

"Come, I will show you my office and where I keep all my research entries," Jason said.

"Cirie, let's go," Seth said.

Cirie said, "Bye Wurmple. I'll come back soon."

As Cirie walked out of the room, the Wurmple kept staring at Cirie. She felt some sort of connection with the nice female trainer. Jason continued showing Seth and Cirie around his laboratory. The tour took about a day because Seth became very interested in Jason's research. His research included Pokémon habitats in Meteor Falls, migration patterns, Pokémon diets, and even the historical background of Meteor Falls. Seth and Cirie had dinner after the tour. Before bedtime, Cirie went to visit Wurmple. Jason was also in the room.

"You guys seem to get along quite well," Jason said.

"You think?" Cirie asked.

"Yes, I never seen Wurmple so happy before and Wurmple seems to enjoy the belly rubs you give her. I think her brother likes you, too. Would you like to take care of Wurmple?"

"Do you mean?"

"Yes, I think Wurmple really likes you and recognized you as her trainer and friend."

"Wurmple, would you like to travel with me and be on my team?"

Wurmple gave a big smile and nodded.

Jason added, "Her brother is very close to her and cannot live without her. If it is not too much of a bother, can you care for both of them?"

Cirie said, "You really mean it?"

"It looks like Wurmple chose for herself."

"I have an idea."

It was a new morning. Seth was drinking a hot mug of dark coffee. Cirie entered the kitchen and joined him.

"Good Morning Cirie," Jason said.

Cirie responded, "Good Morning everyone!"

"Cirie, you look very happy this morning," Seth noted.

"I have good news," Cirie answered.

"What's the news." Seth asked.

"Jason said I can take care of one of the Wurmple and bring her along on our journey."

Jason said, "Wurmple chose Cirie to be her trainer by herself."

"Really? That's great!" Seth said.

"However, her brother cannot be separated from her. I want to bring him along too and I was wondering if you can take him to be on your team. The two Wurmple are meant to be together and so are we." Cirie said.

Seth said, "Cirie… that's beautiful what you just said. I'm speechless… No I'm not. I'll take Wurmple's brother to be on my team."

"That's great! Thank you very much!" Jason expressed.

After breakfast, Cirie and Seth went to the nursery room. The two Wurmple accepted both Cirie and Seth as their trainers. At the same time, Cirie and Seth took out a Pokéball and recalled the two worm Pokémon inside for the first time. Later on during the day, Seth, Cirie, and the two Wurmple said goodbye to Jason.

"I wonder where Annie and Dillon are." Cirie said.

"Hmm… I think we should head to Fallarbor Town. I think Annie wanted to compete in the contest there. Fallarbor is a large town. We can also contact the authorities to help with the search." Seth said.

"Ok, then Fallarbor Town it is. Jason, can you show us which way to go?"

Jason answered, "Yes! If you walk down this road opposite from the way you came, you will be able to make your way down the mountains. While on your way down the mountains, you will come across a fork in the road and make sure to bypass Forina. Forina is a cavernous valley west of Meteor Falls that have pillar-like rock formations. It is very easy to get lost in Forina. There should be signs to guide the way though. At the base of the mountains, you will come across a big lake named Lake Blue and it is known for its sparkling clear waters. At the lake, there is a ferry service you can take that will get you to the outskirts of Fallarbor Town."

"Thank you Jason for letting us stay at your lab." Cirie said.

"It was my pleasure. Please take care of Wurmple and the Pokémon egg. Also, please give Professor Birch my regards."

"Yes, I will. Thanks again!" Seth said.

"Anytime! Come visit soon!"

* * *

Here is the next chapter! What do you think about the new additions to the team? Drop your comments below!

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Bagon: Moves: Headbutt and Dragon Claw.

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Wurmple

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf

Wurmple


	24. Chapter 21: Rivals or Teammates?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names, P** **okédex entries,** **and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

 **Previously in "Journey to Remember", Annie, Dillon, Seth, and Cirie were going to head to Fallarbor Town for Annie's Pokémon Contest, however, they were separated by Sebastian and his lackeys. Seth and Cirie were separated from their friends. The pair were able to retrieve the mysterious Pokémon egg from Ranger Jason at the Meteor Falls laboratory for Professor Birch as well as welcoming two new friends to their team. After nearly surviving from an aggressive encounter, Annie and Dillon took a few days to heal at a small shack in the mountains. During the time, the pair developed a much closer relationship. While trudging through the mountainous roads of Meteor Falls on their way to Fallarbor Town, Annie and Dillon decided to stop to camp out in the middle of a dense forest.**

Chapter 21: Rivals or Teammates?

After a good night sleep, Dillon woke up early to do some training with Tyrogue.

Dillon said, "Tyrogue, after you finish your berry, I want you to practice your defense. In order to be successful, you must perfect your offense and defensive moves."

Tyrogue took his time to finish his oran berry. Dillon did some stretches and push-ups in the meantime. After Tyrogue was done, Dillon instructed his friend to block with his arms by forming a cross.

"Tyrogue, I'm going to cross my arms and you try to hit me," Dillon commanded.

Dillon crossed his arms; Tyrogue took a deep breath and struck his trainer with a low kick. Dillon received some damage from the attack, but his past training as a black belt martial artist came in handy as his arms softened the blow of the attack.

"Good job, buddy. Did you see how I was able to protect myself using my arms? I want you to try the same thing. When I attack you, you can also block with one arm. The point is to use your arms to shield your face. Also, put one leg forward and one behind to form a forward stance. In turn, you can be more sturdy by utilizing your legs as support."

This time, Tyrogue crossed his arms while Dillon launched his fist attempting to throw a punch. Tyrogue blocked his trainer's attack with his arms. Tyrogue respected his trainer, but was also stubborn and eagered to show off his strength. On his feet, the scuffle Pokémon charged toward the young teen and pushed the teen back.

"Buddy, that was great, but you call that a low kick."

Dillon teased Tyrogue, but was actually encouraging his partner. Tyrogue became more motivated to perfect his low kick attack.

"Now, let's use what you learned in our training battle."

Dillon and Tyrogue continued to fight each other with their bare hands and feet in a training battle. The battle was intense and created a bit of noise. Annie woke up from the noise outside. She noticed Dillon was not sleeping so she peaked outside her tent. She saw a shirtless Dillon fighting and couldn't take her eyes away from looking at his muscular body and abs. After battling each other, Dillon and Tyrogue did some exercises.

"Buddy, now let's do some exercises. Let's do some push ups and sit ups. It's good to workout your arms and core." Dillon said.

Dillon flexed his muscles showing off his biceps. Annie was still looking through her tent. She couldn't take her eyes off of Dillon's toned body. As Dillon was doing his push ups, Annie couldn't help but wished that she was underneath the handsome boy. After about fifteen minutes, Annie came out of her tent.

"Good Morning Dillon," Annie greeted.

"Annie, you're awake." Dillon said.

"Let's eat breakfast. I can prepare the salad and berries."

Annie prepared a salad for breakfast with most ingredients provided by Richard, the fisherman they stayed with a few days ago. Dillon puts on a tank top and helped Annie prepare by cutting up the berries. He also prepared the Pokémon food for their Pokémon.

"Hey everyone! Time for breakfast!" Dillon announced.

"Fennekin, Plusle, you guys must be hungry," Annie said.

"Thanks for cooking, Annie. This salad is great."

"You're welcome. I hope we can make it to Fallarbor Town in time for the contest. We spent nearly a week on this mountain."

Tyrogue already had his berry and decided to rest at a spot a few feet away from the camp. Bagon was flirting with Ralts by giving some of his food to her. Plusle and Minun thought Bagon's actions were adorable; the two of them very much enjoyed the romantic view while eating. Fennekin ate her food slowly and politely. Seviper, being a trickster, decided to steal some of Fennekin's food. Seviper tried to steal the food surreptitiously. However, Tyrogue, whom had excellent peripheral vision, spotted Seviper at the corner of his eyes. Seviper stole a little food from Fennekin's plate with his tail to avoid being obvious. Fennekin had her eyes closed and missed Seviper stealing the first time. During the second time, Seviper took everything off of Fennekin's plate. When Fennekin opened her eyes, she witnessed her plate was empty and cried which got her trainer's attention.

Annie said, "Fennekin, what's wrong? Where's all your food?"

"Alright, did someone take Fennekin's food?" Dillon questioned.

No one answered. Plusle and Minun saw that Fennekin was upset so they shared their food with her. Suddenly, a rock hit Seviper's head. Tyrogue jumped into the air and landed on top of Seviper causing him to fall. The scuffle Pokémon then pointed his finger at the snake.

Dillon said, "Seviper, did you take Fennekin's food?"

The snake-like Pokémon lied by shaking his head. Tyrogue did not like liars and robbers. He decided to teach Seviper a lesson by challenging him to a battle.

Tyrogue said, "Ty, Tyrogue." { _I challenge you to a battle_ }

Seviper answered, "Ssss - vipa!" { _Bring it on, loser!_ }

"Hey, you two. Calm down right now. You're not supposed to fight with your own teammate." Dillon commanded.

Seviper hissed, "Ssss..." { _What teammate? That punk is just an eye sore._ }

"Rogue. Ty, Rogue!" { _You stole someone else's food and did not even apologize. I'm going to teach you a lesson. Prepare to feel my strength!_ }

"Ssss. Vipa!" { _Argh, you wretch. You're pay for that. I just want to squeeze you to death._ }

Dillon said, "Seviper, Tyrogue, stop fighting!"

Dillon's plea fell on deaf ears. The two Pokémon were annoyed and focused on defeating each other. When Tyrogue was about to launch a brick break, Dillon leaped in front of Seviper.

Dillon yelled, "Tyrogue, stop! ... Aaaah!"

Annie said, "Dillon, are you ok?!"

Tyrogue was shocked that he hit his trainer; Seviper was also shocked to see his trainer leaping out to protect him. Dillon was on his knee trying to recover from the hit. Tyrogue walked toward his trainer and touched his shoulder gently.

"Is Tyrogue crying?" Annie noticed.

"Buddy, are you crying for me? … I think this is the first time you cried for me." Dillon teased.

Tyrogue felt embarassed and turned the other direction to hide his blush.

Dillon said, "Buddy, that brick break you did was powerful. You have grown stronger by a lot recently and I'm proud of you."

Tyrogue suddenly climbed up a tree to get some privacy.

"I guess Tyrogue has a hard time opening up his feeling," Annie said.

"Yeah, I think his previously trainer had a whole different approach in training and it turned Tyrogue's heart into a block of ice." Dillon said.

"Don't worry Dillon. I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Thanks Annie. Now… Seviper, I know you stole Fennekin's food. I'm not mad at you, but I want you to know that is not appropriate. There's not a concern since we still have food to spare, but we need to conserve our rations as we do not know how long we will be on Meteor Falls. I want you to apologize to Fennekin."

Seviper said, "Sss-" {Sorry}

Annie said, "That's ok Seviper, I can fix up another meal for Fennekin, but Dillon is right. We need to conserve our rations."

"We need to eat quickly so we can take advantage of the daylight," Dillon said.

After eating breakfast, Annie and Dillon decided to continue heading toward Fallarbor Town.

* * *

Meanwhile, Seth and Cirie arrived at Lake Blue after a day of walking down the mountains. The waters in the lake to glisten under the moonlit sky. The pair bought two tickets from the ferry building to board the ferry service to Fallarbor Town. In the air, they saw a group of Volbeat and a Illumise buzzing around.

Seth said, "Even if one day a thousand romantic encounters carry by the wind onto my path… Even if one day Illumise's light shines brighter than the moon… They cannot be compared to the beauty of this evening. Neither will I appreciate them more. Because tonight, I have you here with me."

Cirie giggled

"It is nice to see you smile," Seth noted.

The next morning, Seth and Cirie checked in at the Fallarbor Contest Hall to see if Annie has registered for the upcoming contest.

"I'm sorry; I don't see anyone named Annie signing up for the contest." The front desk clerk said.

Cirie said, "Thank you. Seth, I wonder where those two are. The contest is in five days."

"I'm getting worried. You don't think Sebastian has captured them. We don't even know where they are." Seth said.

* * *

Finally! I finished Chapter 21! The story is still progressing. What do you think about Tyrogue and Seviper's rivalry? Will they end up getting along in the future?

Will Annie make it in time for her contest? How do you think she will do?

Thank you so much for reading my stories if you finished up to this point! :D I really appreciate it!

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Bagon: Moves: Headbutt and Dragon Claw.

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Wurmple

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf

Wurmple


	25. Chapter 22: An Electrifying Performance!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names, P** **okédex entries,** **and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

Seth and Cirie was at the Fallarbor Town Pokémon Center dining hall eating breakfast. Cirie was happily eating her blueberry muffin. Seth, however, was holding his mug filled with dark coffee and staring out the window in deep thought.

"Earth to Seth," Cirie teased.

Seth didn't respond to Cirie. Cirie waved her hands in front of Seth to get his attention.

"Huh?" Seth broke away from his thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?" Cirie asked. "Are you worried about Annie and Dillon?"

"Yeah, but I was thinking about a sound I heard when we were hiking through the mountains."

"What sound?"

"I heard it really early in the morning. Do you remember Lookout Cliff. It was shortly after we left Ernest's village."

"Yeah."

"During the morning, I played 'When' on the violin. Suddenly, I heard a lovely flute sound mimicking my tune."

* * *

 _On top of a vast gorge in Meteor Falls a few days ago, Seth played his favorite song on his violin. The melodious, soothing tune echoed through the gorge._

' _When the mountain has no edges and angle,_

 _When the river does not flow,_

 _When time stops making no difference between day and night,_

 _When all things crumble to dust,_

 _I still cannot break up with you,_

 _Cannot break up with you._

 _Your gentle warmth…_

 _is the greatest expectation in my life.'_

 _Suddenly, a flute sound mimicked his tune which startled Seth a bit. Seth continued to play._

"What a lovely flute sound. Is it copying me on purpose?"

' _When the sun does not rise,_

 _When the earth does not rotate,_

 _When there is no difference between the seasons,_

 _When all the flowers and trees withered,_

 _I still cannot split up with you,_

 _Cannot split up with you._

 _Your smile…_

 _is the greatest reminiscence in my life'_

The flute sound mimicked his tune again.

" _No way." Seth said._

Somewhere in the gorge, a young man wearing a white shirt and purple cape was captivated by the tune. He played his flute to mimic the sound. Both musicians continued to play their instrument and listened in admiration.

The young man said, "I can't believe this world has an instrument that makes such a beautiful sound. It's too captivating"

Seth thought, " _I really want to know who is playing this flute._ "

The young man thought, " _I really want to know who is playing this violin._ "

* * *

Seth drank his dark coffee while chatting with Cirie.

"I still would really like to meet that person," Seth said.

* * *

Meanwhile, Annie and Dillon were still making their way to Fallarbor Town. They walked passed a cliff and took a moment to look at the panoramic view. The sky is clear, the air was fresh, and a bolt of light zips passed their view.

"What was that?" Annie said.

Dillon said, "I'm not sure."

"Pidgeot! Great Job! Your Sky Attack is near perfection!" a voice yelled.

Dillon and Annie looked toward the voice and saw a orange-hair man wearing a black polo and green shorts shouting out commands.

"It's Blue." Dillon said.

Blue looked at the corner of his eye and spotted two trainers. The bird Pokémon zipped past him and suddenly Blue landed in front of the two starstrucked trainers.

"Well, hi there," Blue said.

"Hi, my name is Dillon and I challenge you to a battle," Dillon said.

Annie said, "Dillon, are you crazy?"

"No, it would be an honor to take on the champion."

Blue said, "I like you spunk, kid. Alright, I accept your challenge."

"Thank you."

" _For some reason, I see myself in this kid. His spunk and moxie reminds of myself when I was young. I can see his passion in his eyes. Always wanting to win._ " Blue thought.

"I'll use Pidgeot if that's alright with you."

Dillon said, "That's fine and I'll use my best friend. C'mon out Tyrogue."

"Doesn't Tyrogue has a disadvantage," Annie pointed out.

"Pokémon battling is more than type advantage. Tyrogue has as much spunk and moxie as I do. Buddy, let's give our best shot."

Blue said, "I'll let you have the first move."

"Don't go easy on me. But if you want, Tyrogue use Tackle."

Tyrogue charged head onto to Pidgeot. The bird Pokémon did not move despite the hit.

" _I like to see what tricks this kid has up his sleeve. Tyrogue does have determination. He reminds me of Blastoise._ "

"Tyrogue, run around Pidgeot."

Tyrogue ran fast around Pidgeot in a circle in an attempt to confuse the bird Pokémon.

"Use brick break," Dillon commanded.

Tyrogue jumped up all of a sudden and slammed his hand onto Pidgeot which caused very little damage. Pidgeot did not move again. Tyrogue continued to launch a continuous string of Brick Break attacks. Each attack only dealt minimal damage and Pidgeot's stance was intact.

"Alright, we stood around long enough. Use Aerial Ace, my friend." Blue commanded.

Pidgeot was quick. Blue had as much determination in himself and wanted to win like Dillon. Right before the Aerial Ace struck, Dillon commanded Tyrogue to use Counter which was a successful hit. Pidgeot bounced back towards Blue.

"Yes, we did it Tyrogue!"

"Wow, I'm impressed kid. Your Tyrogue is quick."

"Thank you. That means a lot coming from you."

"However, we are quick too. Pidgeot, use Agility and go into a Quick Attack!"

Pidgeot relaxed his body and flew in great speed, vanishing and reappearing. The bird Pokémon landed a blinding Quick Attack which caused Tyrogue to stumble.

"Your Tyrogue has good endurance." Blue complimented.

"Tyrogue, use brick break!"

"Use Agility again to dodge!"

Pidgeot used Agility to evade Tyrogue's oncoming attack.

"Use Aerial Ace!"

"Buddy, prepare to use counter again!"

"Not so fast! Do it!" Blue shouted. Pidgeot was quick and striked Tyrogue before Tyrogue can react to Dillon's command. "Sky Attack!"

Annie said, "Oh no, Tyrogue is hurt."

The bird Pokémon finished with a blinding, super effective Sky Attack causing Tyrogue to faint.

"Buddy, you did great. Thank you for the challenge, Blue. We learned a lot. That double combination of Agility-Aerial Ace-Sky Attack was so powerful. I hope I can be like you one day." Dillon said.

"You were not too bad yourself. Are you collecting gym badges?" Blue asked.

"Yes, I plan to compete in the Hoenn League."

"I look forward to seeing you one day on the champion arena."

"Thank you." Dillon and Blue shook hands.

"Where are you two headed?"

"We are heading to Fallarbor Town, but I think we got lost." Dillon said.

"Yeah, can you show us the way?" Annie asked. "There is a contest happening there that I want to compete in."

"Ah, Fallarbor Town. You guys aren't too far. If you follow that rocky, narrow path behind you, you will be able to make it onto the main mountain pass trail that leads to the main road. Follow the directions that guide you Lake Blue. At Lake Blue, there is a ferry that will get you to Fallarbor Town. You better hurry. I hear the contest is happening in two days."

"Oh my goodness. Thank you, Blue. Annie, let's go. Bye!" Dillon said.

"Thank you!" Annie said.

Blue said, "Farewell, Good luck in the contest!"

As Dillon and Annie walked beyond his sight, Blue thought, " _The kid is a unique one. I have faith that our paths will meet again._ "

Dillon and Annie followed Blue's direction and made their way out of the narrow mountain paths onto the main road. They made it to Lake Blue by evening and fortunately caught the last ferry of the day.

* * *

On the day of the contest, everyone in town was excited for the event. As the show was about to start, a beautiful woman in a pink dress and a handsome man wearing a teal blue tux walked onto the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, The Fallarbor Town contest is about to begin!" Vivian announced.

"Coordinators competing today will get a chance to win this gorgeous Fallarbor ribbon!" Tony said.

"Coordinators with five of these gorgeous ribbons across the Hoenn Region will get a chance to participate in the prestigious Grand Festival!"

Seth and Cirie were in the audience.

"I hope Annie made it to today's contest." Cirie said.

"Now, let's kick things off with our first contestant Juan!" Vivian said.

A purple-hair young man in a white collared shirt, black slacks, and purple cape appeared holding a flute.

" _That flute. Could it be him?_ " Seth thought.

Juan presented, "C'mon out my star!"

An Altaria appeared on stage.

"An Altaria! It looks so beautiful!" Cirie noted.

"Altaria, let's start things off with a Round." Juan commanded.

Three red rings hovered above the stadium in tiers formation with a small ring hovering above the other.

"Sing a Perish Song!" Juan said.

Altaria unleashed a Perish Song. While Altaria hums a tune and flies around gracefully, Juan begins to play a melodious tune on his flute. The song vibrates against the round attack creating an echo effect. Most of the audience find the tune relaxing and soothing.

"Finish with Dazzling Gleam!" Juan commanded.

Altaria unleashed a bright, sparkling light that captivate the attention of the entire audience. As the light got dimmer, the judges tallied up the score.

"A 29.7! Why, Juan is making a strong start. The other coordinators will have some tough competition to beat. Let send out our next contestant." Tony said.

At back stage, Dillon was giving Annie a pep talk. Annie was dressed in an elaborate, fancy, pink dress with her hair tied up in a fancy ponytail.

"Remember. You and your Pokémon are a team. Make sure you work with each other." Dillon said.

Annie said, "Yes, I can do this. Plusle and I have trained for many days and nights."

"Remember the routine we worked on. Remember to exult confidence during your performance. Plusle and you must be in perfect sync. Whatever you feel, Plusle will feel."

"We have seen almost all our contestants, but we have one final contestant. Please give a warm welcome to contestant number 22, Annie!" Vivian announced.

Cirie said, "Annie! That means Annie and Dillon are both in Fallarbor Town."

Annie appeared on the stage. She looked toward the audience and thought, " _Father, I'm doing this for you. Are you watching in the audience or on tv somewhere. Please know that I am trying my best to find you._ "

"Plusle! I choose you!" Annie said.

Plusle did a somersault while coming out of her Pokéball; the audience cheered.

"Use Electroball and juggle them!"

Plusle launched three Electroballs from her tail and juggled them like a circus act. One at a time, Plusle added a new Electroball to her act until she juggled seven in total. Plusle did a cute dance performance at the same time.

"Plusle, you are doing great! Like we rehearsed, toss the Electroballs into the air and use discharge!"

The electric mouse needed to be quick. She tossed the Electroballs into the air and released a blue spark of electricity in all directions to attract the Electroballs.

" _Excellent, she did it like we rehearsed. Plusle looks like a sparkling, blue magnet._ " Dillon thought from the audience.

"It looks like Plusle learned a new move," Seth noted.

Cirie said, "Discharge, it looks powerful."

"Now do it! Time for the final act!" Annie yelled.

Plusle used the blue electricity from the discharge to suck in the Electroballs and did a somersalt into the air while shining in blue electricity. The audience was magnetized by the performance. The electricity was released and dispersed; Plusle landed on the stage confidently.

"Now that is a great act to end the first round of performances!" Tony said.

Vivian added, "What do the judges think of Annie and her cute Plusle?"

"Oh my, a 25.6! Which means these four coordinators will be moving onto the second round."

The scoreboard shows the headshot of a young man with a purple robe first.

" _Juan made it._ " Seth noted.

The second coordinator appeared; the score board shows the headshot of a young woman with green ponytail. The third coordinator appeared; it was a young man with dark hair wearing a blue t-shirt.

Cirie mumbled, "C'mon Annie. C'mon Annie."

Vivian announced, "There you go! The coordinators who are going to make it to the second round are Juan, Clarise, Tony, and Annie! And… these will be second round match ups. Good luck! We will pause with a brief intermission."

" _I did it!_ " Annie thought. " _I can't let this chance go to waste. Father, I hope you are watching. Please reach out for me if you see my performance._ "

Dillon, Seth, and Cirie cheered loudly from the audience. Annie noticed her first challenger was Juan and his Altaria. Juan approached Annie in the back stage waiting room.

"Pleasure to meet you," Juan introduced.

Annie said, "You're Juan, right. Hi, I'm Annie."

"I look forward to our battle, my dear. May the best coordinator win." He asked for Annie's hand for a hand kiss.

" _What a gentleman._ " Annie thought.

Dillon was about to enter the room and saw Juan kissing Annie's hand. The teen began to develop feelings of jealousy. Juan walked out of the room and passed Dillon. The two boys exchanged nods.

"Dillon!" Cirie yelled.

Dillon responded, "Cirie! Seth!"

"We finally found your guys!" Seth said.

"Where is Annie?" Cirie asked.

"She should be inside," Dillon said.

"Annie!" Cirie yelled.

Annie exclaimed, "Cirie! I can't believe you're here! I'm so happy!" The two ladies exchanged hugs.

"Me, too. I'm so proud of you for making it to the second round."

"Is Seth here too?"

"Yes, he is… Oh, I guess those two boys are still outside."

"Hey Dillon, good to see you." Seth said.

"I know man, it's been a while. I'm glad you're ok." Dillon said.

"Bro, I confessed my feelings to Cirie."

"No way! Congrats! The both of you make a great couple. I'm rooting for you, bro."

"What are you two doing?" Cirie asked.

"Just doing some bro talk. We haven't seen each other for a long time." Dillon said.

"Well, let's go in."

After the 30 minute intermission, the first battle was between Annie and Juan.

Vivian announced, "The two coordinators will now get 5 minutes to execute their attacks gracefully in a battle exhibition and lower their opponent's score as much as they can."

"Altaria, curtain calls!" Juan said

Annie said, "Plusle, I choose you!"

"Let the battle begin!" Tony said.

" _Altaria is a flying type which means Plusle should have the advantage._ " Annie thought. "Plusle, you discharge!"

The electric mouse released a spark of blue electricity at her opponent. Suddenly, Juan began to play his flute and dragon bird dodged the attack gracefully. While Juan played his flute, Altaria continued to soar through the stadium gracefully. Annie lost points since her attack missed and Altaria was able to escape the move gracefully

" _That music. It has to be him._ " Seth thought.

Cirie said, "What a graceful dodge. Annie has some tough competition."

" _Uh oh, Plusle missed. Now what should I do._ " Annie thought. "Use Swift!"

Plusle sensed her trainer was nervous and felt hesitant to use Swift. However, Plusle was able to release a mirage of sparkling stars.

"What beautiful stars. Altaria, use Dragon Dance as you glide past the stars!" Juan commanded.

Altaria's body suddenly surrounded in a red and pink aura. As the aura surrounds the dragon bird, she swiftly glided in between the stars and used the stars to her advantage. Suddenly, Altaria managed to knock the stars away causing them to vanish. Annie lost points since her attack benefitted her opponent.

" _Oh no, I'm not sure what to do."_ Annie thought.

Plusle looked at her trainer in a worried state.

Annie said, "Plusle, I believe in you. Use Electro Ball! Throw as much as you can toward Altaria."

"This is not looking good for Annie," Seth said. "She is just launching attacks and making the same mistake as before. She is not use to battling."

"This is my fault. I should have spent more time with Annie teaching her." Dillon said.

"Annie, We all believe in you! You can do it!" Cirie yelled.

One at a time, Altaria was able to dodge the Electro Balls. With each miss, Annie continued to lose points.

"Altaria, let's compose a song. Use Sing!" Juan commanded.

Altaria sang a song and caused Plusle to be sleepy. Juan played his flute to mimic Altaria's tune.

" _Incredible. He is able to mimic Altaria's sing attack. That guy sure is talented. I have to get a chance to meet him._ " Seth thought.

Annie said, "Plusle! Wake up, please."

The electric mouse was fast asleep and Altaria was ready to strike with her final move.

"Altaria! Dream Eater!" Juan said.

Altaria's eyes flashed red and began to fly quickly toward a sleeping Plusle. The dragon bird released a shadow-like version of herself which went though Plusle; as a result, Plusle fainted. The judges determined that Plusle was unable to battle.

"And that is a wrap! With only 1 minute and 20 seconds remaining, the judges have determined that Juan and his Altaria will make it to the final round. Let's give a big hand to Annie and her Plusle for giving us a great match up!" Vivian said.

At backstage, Annie was crying and surrounded by her friends supporting her.

Annie cried, "This is so hard. I can't believe I thought I can even win. This sucks. I feel so embarrassed."

* * *

 **That's all for Chapter 22! This was a long one, but thank you for reading up to this point! You are awesome!**

 **So, what do you all think of Juan? How will this new character play in future chapters? Will he be a recurring character?**

 **And what do you think about Dillon's encounter with the new champion himself, Blue?**

 **When will Annie win her covenant first ribbon? Stay Tuned...**

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Bagon: Moves: Headbutt and Dragon Claw.

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, Discharge, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Wurmple

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf

Wurmple


	26. Chapter 23: Pursue you Passions!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names, P** **okédex entries,** **and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

Early in the morning, Seth was on a video call with Professor Birch in the Pokémon Center lobby.

"But Professor… are you sure you want to task this important assignment to me?" Seth asked.

Professor Birch said, "I couldn't think of a better person to ask besides you. I know you can make me proud. I gotta run, Seth. I have a lot to do today. Talk to you later."

The call ended.

An hour later, Seth and Cirie were in the Pokemon Center dining hall eating breakfast. Dillon was brushing his teeth in the bathroom. Cirie was enjoying her muffin as usual, but Seth was not eating. Both of their Wurmple were by their side eating mushed berries.

"Seth, are you ok? You always seem to be thinking a lot during breakfast." Cirie asked.

"Oh, I'm just thinking about what Professor Birch just said this morning." Seth said.

"What did he say?"

"He wants me to write a research paper on the egg I'm caring for."

"Why are you worried? Don't you like writing papers?"

"I usually write short reports for the Professor regarding what I observed in the field. However, he is asking me to write a research paper which will be published and critiqued by scholars."

"Wow, that's big."

"It really makes me nervous to take on a task like this, but I won't give up. I have a dream to become a Pokémon professor and can't take this opportunity for granted.

"That's the spirit! The Wurmples sure like their breakfast."

As Seth and Cirie continued their breakfast in silence, the tv inside the dining hall was broadcasting the winner of the recent contest.

The tv reporter announced, "Yesterday, Juan was able to take home the beautiful Fallarbor ribbon. He and his Altaria gave an amazing performance. We caught up with the winner and asked him for one word that he would use to describe his performance. He said 'serene'. Indeed, the word 'serene' demonstrates the close bond between Juan and his Altaria. We truly wish Juan the best of luck in all of his future performances. Now, in other news, a long time restaurant owner has retired and has many people upset."

"What's up, guys!" Dillon said.

"Good Morning, Seth will be writing his first professional research paper like an actual professor." Cirie responded.

"That's great! Congrats Seth. I know you will do well."

Seth said, "Thanks bud."

"Where is Annie?" Dillon asked.

Cirie responded, "I think she's still in her room sleeping."

"It is almost 9 already though."

Dillon walked to the bedroom the group were staying in the Pokémon Center. He opened the door and saw that Annie was still in bed sleeping with her blanket over her head. Dillon pulled the blanket off.

"Rise and shine! It's time to train." Dillon said.

Annie got up, but was half awake and half sleepy still.

"It's still early," Annie noted.

"We can't waste the day on sleep. We need to train."

Annie hesitated, but eventually got up and went to bathroom to wash up. The two received their Pokémons from Nurse Joy. Afterwards, Dillon took Annie to a battlefield outside of the center.

"Annie, we need to train on your battling skills. Tyrogue, I choose you." Dillon said.

"Alright, Plusle, let's battle!" Annie said.

"I'll start with the first move. Tyrogue, use tackle." Tyrogue charged at Plusle and knocked the electric mouse down.

"Plusle, stay strong."

"Annie, you have to focus on your opponent's move. In a battle, a trainer must react quick. Plusle will only attack if you react."

"Ok. Plusle, use discharge!" Plusle released a spark of blue electricity at Tyrogue.

"Tyrogue, dodge." The scuffle Pokémon reacted quickly and dodged the move.

"Shoot, we missed."

"That's ok. This is a practice battle. Try again."

"Plusle, use swift." The electric mouse released many glowing stars at her opponent.

"Tyrogue, quick. Slide under the stars and use low sweep." The scuffle Pokémon slid under the attack and caused Plusle to fall. "Annie, I think we have to work on Plusle's speed and accuracy. There are many components in battling. The trainer and their Pokémon must be fast and aim with accuracy. Tyrogue and I are still working on this as well; it will take time and a lot of practice."

"Plusle, you're doing a good job! Use Discharge at Tyrogue!"

* * *

Back inside the Pokémon Center, Seth was taking care of his Pokémon egg. The research assistant was rubbing the egg to keep it clean. The egg had red and blue shapes on it. Cirie was hanging around the lobby reading a Fallarbor Town Map Guide. The blue hair trainer was wearing a white short sleeve, skinny blue jeans, and white flats. When the tomboy is not on the road, she prefers to wear comfortable flats. Cirie was flipping through the pages and saw a Pokéathlon event being hosted in Fallarbor Town in a few hours.

" _I'm interested in this. Huh, It's in two hours. I think I'll check it out._ " Cirie thought.

The blue haired teenage girl went to the Fallarbor Stadium. When she was arriving there, she saw multiple trainers with their Pokémon preparing for the upcoming competition. Suddenly, a frisbee flew over. A female trainer wearing a white t-shirt and green overalls with a two pigtails ran over followed by a Mightyena, a wolf-like Pokémon.

"Sorry," said the female trainer.

Cirie replied, "It's alright. No harm done."

"Hi, my name is Angela and practicing for the upcoming athlete contest." Angela said.

"My name is Cirie. Nice to meet you. Was that your act for the contest?"

"Not exactly. In Pokeathlon, athletes don't have to perform an individual act. They compete in already known sports set by the Pokéathlete Association. Today's contest will be Disc Catch and Hurdle Dash."

"Oh, are there multiple acts?"

"Yes, let's sit down at the bench over there and I'll explain it to you."

"Your Mightyena sure was fast."

"Thank you. We really hope to win our Speed Medal today."

"Speed Medal?"

"Yeah, allow me to explain. Pokeathlons are athlete competitions with competitions targeting a Pokémon's specific skill set. There are five different skill sets: Speed, Skill, Jump, Stamina, and Power. Today's competition will focus on Speed. If an athlete can win one medal from each of the five different categories, they can compete in regional contest held in the Johto Region."

"The Johto Region?"

"Yes, that was where Pokéathlons first began. Mightyena and I are doing some last minute training. Catch you later, Cirie."

"Okay, Thank you for your explanation and good luck on the contest!"

"Thanks!" Angela and her Mightyena ran away to train.

Cirie bought a pass to watch the contest. The blue haired trainer became very engaged with the competitions. The first competition was the disc catch competition which happened in groups of five. The objective of the game was for both trainer and their Pokémon catch as many discs as they can. The second match was the Hurdle Dash. The objective was for the Pokémon to run with a headset and trainers wore a device over their eyes. The trainers will get to see any hurdle objects first and will instruct their teammate to jump.

* * *

Later on in the night, Annie, Dillon, Seth, and Cirie were gathered inside the Pokémon Center dining hall talking about their day. Their Pokémon were eating at the floor by their table.

"I'm so tired," Dillon said.

Annie said, "Me, too. We trained and worked out all day."

"What did you guys do?" Cirie asked.

"We had a practice battle and went to the gym at the center to workout. Tyrogue, Minun, Bagon, and I did strength training while Annie, Fennekin, and Plusle ran on the treadmill. I suggested Plusle to focus on her speed. Then, we worked on Plusle's aim and acuracy." Dillon explained.

"Dillon suggested Plusle to throw Electro Balls continuous at a standing target board to train and myself to throw tennis balls. My arm is very sore." Annie added.

"Afterwards, my team and I relaxed in the sauna and took a hot shower. It felt so good."

Cirie said, "It sounds like you guys had a good day of training. Seth, how about you?"

"I just spent the day polishing my egg and starting my research paper for Professor Birch. Ralts was a great help today, Dillon. She was helping me take care of my egg."

"Look at Bagon, you guys! He's so adorable when he feeds Ralts food." Annie said.

"He takes after me. It's like how I take care of you." Dillon added. Annie blushed.

"Cirie, how was your day? Didn't you go somewhere in the afternoon?" Seth asked.

"Yeah, I was at the Pokéathlon tournament." Cirie said.

"What's that?" Annie asked.

"It's a Pokémon sports competition that trainers and their Pokémon can compete in. Both the trainer and their Pokémon can work side by side to compete in a variety of competitions to win medals. I was not as interested in the medals, but I was interested in the teamwork and the spirit of competition. The medals are nice to have, too."

"It sounds exciting."

"Oh, it was. Today, teams competed in catching the most discs and racing. It was so captivating to watch. I was so engaged during the entire time. At the end when I walked back to the center, I made a decision to participate in these contests. I think Makuhita and I can do really well."

"Wow, if it is what you want, then I say go for it. Always strive for what you believe is right. Pursue you passions and goals." Dillon said.

"Thanks, Dillon."

"So, I'm participating in Pokémon contests, Dillon is pursuing the Champions title, Seth wants to become a Pokémon professor, and Cirie wants to become a Pokémon athlete. Our goals and adventures is just getting more and more interesting." Annie said.

"Where should we head next?" Dillon asked.

"There is a gym very close to here in Lavaridge Town." Seth said.

"Really!? Then, let's go there."

Cirie added, "Lavaridge Town! Oh, I remember that place. That place is famous for its hot springs and hot cross buns. It's so delicious."

* * *

The next day, the gang packed up their things and started making their way to Lavaridge Town. Seth was holding onto his egg in a jar. When they were at the outskirts of Fallarbor Town, Seth's egg glowed white.

"Did the egg just glowed?" Annie asked.

"Yes it did. Usually, that's a sign that the egg is about to hatch." Seth said.

"That's so exciting," Cirie said.

* * *

 **That's it for the next chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed it! What did you think of Cirie's decision to become a Pokémon athlete? What kind of Pokémon will hatch from Seth's egg? Will Dillon win his second gym badge at the Lavaridge gym? Stay tuned!**

Dillon's Team:

Tyrogue: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, and Counter.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Bagon: Moves: Headbutt and Dragon Claw.

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, Discharge, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Wurmple

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf

Wurmple


	27. Chapter 24: Teammates Rule!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! All Pokémon names, P** **okédex entries,** **and places belong to the creators of Pokémon (Game Freak, Nintendo, Creatures, etc.) This story is solely for entertainment purposes from a Pokémon fan. I'm only writing because I am a huge fan Pokémon since I was young.**

* * *

"Sir, Dillon and his friends are about to take the cable cars. What should the next step be?" one of Sebastian's henchman noted.

"Perfect. We shall make our next move. Sent two people to shut down the cable car." Sebastian said.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Arriving at Mt. Chimney on their way to Lavaridge Town, Dillon and his friends hop on the cable car for an easy trip up the mountain. The four were running to make it to the cable car before it leaves.

"I can't believe we made it," Seth said.

"We wouldn't have been in such a rush if Dillon wasn't so lazy and over slept." Annie said.

"Sorry." Dillon said.

"You didn't even wash your face or brush you teeth."

"The important thing is that we made it," Cirie said.

"The cable car is starting to move," Seth noted.

The cable car made its way up the mountain slope. As it goes up, Cirie and her friends marveled at the view.

"Wow, look at the view. You can see pretty far," Cirie noted.

"We're so high up," Annie noted.

"I love taking the cable cars. I just love the scenery I get to see high up on Mt. Chimney."

"Is Mt. Chimney an active volcano?" Dillon asked.

Seth said, "Yes, I recall the last eruption happened five years ago. It didn't cause too much damage."

As the cable car was mid way along the ride, the car stopped all of a sudden.

"Why did it stop all of a sudden?" Annie said.

"I'm not sure. This is weird." Seth said.

"Should we call someone? There's a phone over there by the door." Dillon said.

Seth dialed for help, but the operators did not answer. Instead, they were tied up with Sebastian's henchmen on guard.

"No one is picking up," Seth said.

"What should we do?" Annie asked.

"I guess the only things we could do is wait," Cirie said.

The gang waited for a while. Dillon noticed a drawer under a seat and opened it. There was a rope and an axe. He saw a transmission tower close by.

"I have an idea. I'll use the rope to make my way to the tower and climb down to get help." Dillon said.

"Are you crazy?" Annie said.

"Yeah, that's dangerous. Someone will come. They just have to." Cirie said.

Seth said, "Dillon, Annie and Cirie are right. We should wait here. That's too risky. I know you're eager to get to Lavaridge Town, but we can wait."

Dillon replied, "I think this is our only way of getting help. I don't feel good about this situation."

Dillon opened the roof door. He tied the rope to the anchor and asked Seth's Swellow to bring the anchor and tie it around one of the beams. Dillon pulled on the rope after it has been anchored to ensure it is tight. He secured the other end by wrapping the rope around a stable part of the cable car. The young teen bravely and slowly made his way across the rope.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a helicopter, Sebastian and his henchman were waiting.

"Sir, Dillon is hanging on the rope. This is our chance." one of the henchman said.

"I was just going to strand those kids there for a few minutes to give us sometime to make it to the summit station first so we could capture Dillon. But this fool is making the work easy for us. Let's cut that rope." Sebastian said.

* * *

A black helicopter flies toward the cable car.

"Look a helicopter. Maybe their helping us." Annie said.

"Dillon is too ambitious and impatient. I know people are coming to rescue us." Cirie said.

"Wait what is happening?!" Seth noted.

The helicopter flies near the rope. The door opens and one of Sebastian's henchman used a pair of clipper to cut the rope. All of sudden, Dillon was separated from the cable car and swung towards the transmission tower. The teen used his martial art skills to soften the impact with the tower by hitting the tower with his feet first. After landing his feet, Dillon quickly grabbed one of the railings and safely climbed down.

"Dillon! He's in trouble." Cirie said.

"Oh my gosh! Who would do such a thing?" Annie said.

"That has to be that evil Sebastian. This is all part of his evil plot." Seth noted.

Dillon landed on one of the beams and carefully made his way down.

"What was that? Was that Sebastian?" Dillon said. The teen was on the ground and heard a voice from above in the helicopter.

"Capture him!" Sebastian said using a speaker.

"It is!"

Dillon started to run for his life toward the bottom cable car station. A Beedrill catches up to Dillon and attacked him with its needles. Dillon fell on a rocky path and scraped his knees. The helicopter flies down and Sebastian hopped down to the ground.

"You're not getting away, punk. Beedrill, attack him once more!" Sebastian said.

Beedrill attack Dillon with its needles. Tyrogue and Seviper came out of their Pokéballs.

"Ty-rogue," Tyrogue said. { _What are you doing out?}_

"Sss-viper," Seviper said. { _I can say the same to you. Our trainer is in trouble. Get out of my way.}_

"Oh, his little friends came out to play. Two on one is not that fair though. Tyranitar, come out!" Sebastian snickered.

"Tyrogue, Seviper, what are you doing out here? I can't believe you guys are coming out to help me." Dillon said.

"Viper!" { _I'll take them down.}_

"Rogue. Ty- rogue." { _No, I will._ }

"Seviper, use Poison Tail at Beedrill! Tyrogue, use Brick Break on Tyranitar!"

Tyrogue's crossed his arms and slammed them down on Tyranitar while Seviper swung his Poison Tail at Beedrill. Both attacks striked their targets.

"Ugh, Tyranitar, use Stone Edge!" Sebastian said.

Tyranitar's eyes glowed blue and pillars of rock surrounded Tyrogue and Seviper.

"Tyrogue, Seviper!" Dillon said.

"Now, Hyper Beam. Destroy them! Beedrill, prepare to use Poison jab on that pathetic trainer." Sebastian said.

Tyranitar released a powerful hyper beam at Tyrogue and Seviper. The beam blasted the rocks and caused an explosion. Beedrill flew above Dillon and attacked him with a Poison Jab. Dillon and his team fell down.

"Perfect, now be a good little boy and stay still." Sebastian said.

Tyrogue and Seviper got up, despite the attack, to block Sebastian and Tyranitar from getting closer.

"Ty- Tyrogue." Tyrogue said. { _I know we have our differences, but today, our trainer is trouble._ }

"Sss," Seviper hissed. { _Agreed, but you started it._ }

"Tyranitar, teach those two pathetic losers a lesson. Use Stone Edge!" Sebastian says.

The scuffle Pokémon and snake-like Pokémon braced themselves. They dodged the rocks that appeared that tried to trap them. However, Seviper was not agile enough and got trapped. Tyrogue was able to avoid the attack and tried to break free of the rocks trapping Seviper, but Beedrill used Poison Jab to attack him. Tyrogue fell down. Dillon got up, but was on his knees and hands.

"Buddy," Dillon muttered.

"Ty… Ty… Ty-rouge." Tyrogue said. { _I will always protect my trainer. He saved me from the cold and loneliness and gave me a home._ }

"Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam on that pathetic Tyrogue before it gets back up!"

Tyranitar released a Hyper Beam at Tyrogue. The beam launched quickly. Tyrogue was laying on the ground on his back helplessly trying to get up.

"Buddy! Dodge!" Dillon commanded.

"Ty!" Tyrogue yelled. { _I will win!_ }

The orange hyper bream hits Tyrogue and caused an explosion. Suddenly, among the smoke, a blinding light surrounded Tyrogue which shocked Dillon, Seviper, and Sebastian.

"Tyrogue?" Dillon said.

When the smoke cleared, a different Pokémon was standing in Tyrogue's place. The Pokémon was brown and blue with a sharp point on his forehead.

"Hitmon, top!" Hitmontop said. { _I will always attack for and defend my trainer._ }

"Buddy, you evolved into a Hitmontop! You evolved for me." Dillon noted.

Hitmontop used Brick Break and to smash the rocks to free Seviper.

"Mon-top," Hitmontop said. { _Let's do this, partner._ }

Dillon got back up on his feet. Tyrogue started to spin upside down using the point on his head and spinned toward Tyranitar and attacked with his feet. It was super effective.

"That was rolling kick! Team, it's time to rock and roll! Hitmontop, use Rolling Kick again on Tyranitar! Seviper, use Glare on Beedrill and then Poison Tail!" Dillon said.

Dillon, Hitmontop, and Seviper acted fast. Tyrogue spun on his head again and launched a rolling kick. Seviper appeared in front of Beedril and glared at him. After glaring, the snake Pokémon launched a Poison Tail attack. Beedrill fainted, but Tyranitar did not.

"Ugh, Beedrill return. You're useless." Sebastian said.

"Hitmontop, use Brick Break!"

The handstand Pokémon spun on his head toward Tyranitar quickly and then flipped upside down to quickly attacking with a deadly Brick Break causing the armor Pokémon to faint. Sebastian returned Tyranitar back to his Pokéball.

"Bring me back up!" Sebastian said into an earpiece.

The helicopter dropped a smoke bomb and released a rope ladder. When the smoke cleared, Sebastian and his henchmen were gone.

"Their gone. You guys, we did it. Seviper, Hitmontop, Thank you for protecting me in such a sudden encounter. Hitmontop, you evolved, too. Now, I feel even more pumped about getting to Lavaridge Town." Dillon said.

The handstand Pokémon pointed to the air toward the cable car.

"Oh right, let's go to the station and inform the agents."

* * *

Later in the day, Dillon reunited with his friends at the summit station.

One of the agents named John said, "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dillon for saving us from the bad people."

"Yeah, Thank you Dillon," Annie said.

"We are just glad you're safe. It startled us seeing you fall after the rope was cut." Seth said.

"I'm glad we all are safe and reunited." Cirie said.

"Yes, but I couldn't do it without Hitmontop and Seviper. Thanks guys! The both of you came to the rescue."

"Sss," Seviper said. { _I know. I'm a hero._ }

"Mon top. Hitmontop." the handstand Pokémon said. { _Oh please, you couldn't do it without me._ }

The two stared at each other for a moment. Then, Hitmontop extended out his hand while Seviper extended out his tail. Both shook on it to agree to work together from now on.

"Looks like someone made up," Seth said.

"About time. Teammates should work together instead of fighting against each other." Cirie said.

"Hitmontop is so strong now. Seviper is strong, too." Annie said.

Dillon expressed, "I'm glad you guys made up. Now that we are united, let's conquer the Lavaridge gym together. I love this feeling we have right now."

"John, can you please direct us to Lavaridge Town?" Seth asked.

John replied, "Yes, Of course. Just head down the jagged pass behind you. Lavaridge Town is at the base of Mt. Chimney. Please be careful as some portions are very steep."

"Thank you!" Cirie said.

"Let's go, guys," Dillon said.

The gang made it to Lavaridge Town by evening hours. They decided to stay in a small hostel and tried out the hot springs. The hot springs were separated by gender. Annie and Cirie went to the women's side while Dillon and Seth went to the men's side.

* * *

 **That's Chapter 24! What did you think about Tyrogue's evolution? Were you expecting it?**

 **How will Dillon do in his next gym battle?**

 **What will hatch from Seth's egg!? Stay tuned.**

 **Thank you for reading my story if you got up to this point! I really appreciate it!**

Dillon's Team:

Hitmontop: Lonely Nature; Ability-Guts; Moves: Tackle, Brick Break, Low Kick, Low Sweep, Counter, and Rolling Kick.

Minun: Bold Nature; Ability-Minus; Moves: Spark, Helping Hand, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch, and Swift

Seviper: Hasty Nature; Ability-Shed Skin; Moves: Poison Tail, Bite, Wrap, Iron Tail, Glare, and Earthquake.

Ralts: Moves: Safeguard, Psychic, Confusion, Teleport and Disarming Voice

Bagon: Moves: Headbutt and Dragon Claw.

Annie's Team:

Fennekin: Ability-Blaze; Moves: Ember

Plusle: Jolly Nature; Ability-Plus; Moves: Helping Hand, Spark, Electro Ball, Discharge, and Swift

Cirie's Team:

Makit/Makuhita: Brave Nature; Ability-Thick Fat; Moves: Seismic Toss, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Bulk Up.

Wurmple

Seth's Team:

Walrein: Moves: Ice Ball, Ice Beam, and Surf.

Swellow: Moves: Wing Attack

Nuzleaf: Moves: Razor Leaf

Wurmple


End file.
